The Guide to
FAIRBANKS and Interior Alaska
2018
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Table of contents FAIRBANKS/NORTH POLE REGION Fairbanks FAQs
The Guide to
FAIRBANKS and Interior Alaska
2018
The Guide to Fairbanks and Interior Alaska is a product of the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, located at 200 N. Cushman St., Fairbanks, Alaska. Mailing address: P.O. Box 70710, Fairbanks, Alaska 99707 General telephone: 907-456-6661 Advertising: 907-459-7548 Newsroom: 907-459-7572 Business hours: 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Find us online at newsminer.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/fairbanksDNM. Find this 2018 guide online at newsminer.com/visitors_ guide/ You can stay connected to Fairbanks after you leave by subscribing to the News-Miner’s electronic edition. Start your subscription at newsminer.com/subscribe. Cover photo: Old Engine No. 1 is a fully restored 1899 Porter 0-4-0 locomotive that worked in Yukon coal mines before being brought to Fairbanks in 1905 to begin construction of the Tanana Mines Railway. Visit Engine No. 1 at the Tanana Valley Railroad museum at Pioneer Park.
IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS All of Alaska is in area code 907. The area code is required when using a local phone to call a location in Alaska but outside the local calling area.
Call 9-1-1 in an emergency Alaska State Troopers, Fairbanks post
451-5100
Fairbanks Police Department, business line
450-6500
Fairbanks Police Department dispatch (24-hour non-emergency number )
450-6507
Fairbanks Fire Department
450-6600
North Pole Police Department
488-6902
North Pole Fire Department
488-2232
Fairbanks Memorial Hospital
452-8181
Tanana Valley Clinic
459-3500
Fairbanks Regional Public Health Center 452-1776
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WELCOME TO FAIRBANKS, THE GOLDEN HEART CITY
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elcome to Fairbanks and Interior Alaska, a fascinating land rich in gold mining history, outdoor wonders and friendly people. There’s so much to see and do here, and our long summer days are perfect for letting you enjoy all that our region has to offer. If the outdoors is your thing, well, you’ve come to a great part of the Last Frontier to experience it. You can hike and fish in the Chena River State Recreation Area, a 397-square mile park just outside of Fairbanks. Closer to town, you can relax at the Chena Lake Recreation Area and the Tanana Lakes Recreation Area, both run by the local government. Want to spend some time at museums? There’s the University of Alaska Museum of the North, located on the university’s Fairbanks campus. There are also several niche museums, such as the Fairbanks Community Museum, Pioneer Air Museum, Pioneer Museum and Tanana Valley Railroad Museum. Learn about life, culture and history of Interior Alaska at the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitor Center in Fairbanks. This town was built on gold, and you can see the remains of the gold rush era and relive its glory today — and even do a little panning yourself. And what about that 24 hours of daylight we’re known for? There’s so much activity at summer solstice in June that, just like the daylight, it’s non-stop. How about the famous Midnight Sun Baseball Game? The Midnight Sun Fun Run? Or the Midnight Sun Festival? And don’t forget to take in the Chena River itself, the main waterway running through the center of town and feeding into the Tanana River, which itself feeds the mighty
Yukon River. Take a leisurely cruise down the river in one of the paddlewheelers, rent a canoe and float along with friends, or just take a pleasant walk along the riverside path. There’s something for everyone here. We’re sure you’ll find lots of ideas and useful information on the pages of this Guide to Fairbanks and Interior Alaska to make your stay enjoyable and fulfilling.
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FAIRBANKS REGION
‘IS IT DARK ALL DAY IN THE WINTER?’ AND OTHER QUESTIONS • When was Fairbanks founded?
It was incorporated in 1903 but it was actually founded in 1901 when E.T. Barnette set out to establish a trading post at Tanacross on the Tanana River. Low water in the Tanana River forced Barnette to put in a few miles up one of its tributaries, the Chena River. Finding more miners than he expected in the area, Barnette decided to open his trading post here and move to Tanacross the following summer. However, he wound up staying when Felix Pedro discovered gold in the area north of Fairbanks. The city sprouted around Barnette’s trading post. Barnette became the first mayor of the city when it was incorporated in 1903.
• How did Fairbanks get its name?
Fairbanks was named by city founder E.T. Barnette in honor of Sen. Charles W. Fairbanks of Indiana, who would go on to serve as Theodore Roosevelt’s vice president.
• Do people still mine gold in Fairbanks?
Yes, especially with gold prices being what they are. The largest open-pit gold mine in Alaska, Fort Knox Gold Mine, is located 26 miles north of Fairbanks. The Fort Knox mine has produced several million ounces of gold since it opened in 1996. The Pogo Gold Mine, an underground gold mine located 85 miles southeast of Fairbanks, began operation in 2007.
• Is it light all day in the summer?
Look out the window at midnight and you tell us. Seriously, the longest day of the year is summer solstice, which in 2017 is June 20. On that day there will be 21 hours, 49 minutes of official daylight. But it is pretty much light all day long through the first half of July. We start losing six to seven minutes of daylight each day soon after the solstice.
• How do you sleep in the summer with all the light?
You close your eyes and count moose. Kidding aside, most people who have spent much time in Fairbanks during the summer either are used to the extended daylight or they get a good set of curtains to keep the light out at night. Beyond that, you can use a mask to cover your eyes or move to the Lower 48.
• Why do people drive around with big, plastic water tanks in the back of their pickup trucks? Many people in Fairbanks do not have wells because of the high iron and/or arsenic content and instead use holding tanks that are buried beneath the ground and plumbed into the house. Holding tanks for residential homes are usually 1,000 to 1,500 gallons. People with holding tanks
have two options: Pay to get water delivered by one of several water delivery companies or haul their own water at a cheaper rate. Those tanks in the back of trucks are for hauling water.
• Can you see the northern lights in the summer?
No. The aurora borealis can be visible in Fairbanks for approximately 200 days a year, roughly from mid-September to April, though they don’t show up every night. The best viewing is usually December through March when it is clearest and coldest.
• Why are there electrical outlets in all the parking lots? And why do people have extension cords sticking out the front of their vehicles?
Due to the extreme cold temperatures in Fairbanks during the winter, most vehicles are equipped with several electric heating devices that facilitate starting during the coldest time. The standard setup consists of an engine block heater, an oil pan heater, and a battery blanket/pad that warms the battery. It usually takes an hour or two after a vehicle is plugged in to warm it enough to start. Most employers provide “plug-ins” for its employees.
• How long does the Chena River stay frozen?
The Chena River usually freezes sometime in mid- to late October and remains frozen until late April or early May. One part of the river, about a mile-long stretch from the Aurora Energy power plant on First Avenue to Pioneer Park, remains open year-round because of the warm water being discharged from the power plant.
• Is it dark all day in the winter?
Not really. The shortest day of the year is Dec. 21, the winter solstice, when there is 3 hours, 43 minutes, of official daylight. But there is usually about a half-hour of twilight on each side of sunrise and sunset that translates to about four or five hours of light during the darkest days, from about 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Granted, it’s not bright light, but we’ll take what we can get. Soon after Dec. 21, we start gaining six to seven minutes of daylight each day.
• What do people do outdoors in Fairbanks during the winter?
You’d be amazed at how many people you see doing things outdoors in the winter in Fairbanks, even when it’s 20 or 30 degrees below zero. Cross-country skiing, skijoring, dog mushing, snowshoeing, snowmachining — or snowmobiling as people outside Alaska call it — and ice fishing are all popular wintertime activities.
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DOWNTOWN FAIRBANKS HAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
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t its heart, Fairbanks is a river town, and downtown’s Golden Heart Plaza is the easiest spot to enjoy the Chena River as it slowly meanders toward the Tanana River. “The river, of course, is a major feature,” said David van
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den Berg, executive director of the Downtown Association of Fairbanks. Multiple sculptures throughout the plaza honor Fairbanks’ influences, from indigenous culture to the city’s role in World War II and the inescapable influence of wilderness. A bike and pedestrian path parallels the south side of the river from the Steese Highway to Pioneer Park and offers excellent opportunities for an afternoon outing. Try starting at the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center — where you can even get family portraits in traditional Athabascan garments — then take the path through a green belt to the plaza, where information signs were installed last year to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1967 flood. Keep your eyes out for high water signs on downtown buildings, also installed last year. New this year is Third Thursdays on Second Avenue — a small, monthly street fair incorporating stores, street vendors and entertainment. The fair is Fairbanks’ most recent measure to revitalize downtown and will have an alfresco feeling, according to van den Berg. Golden Heart Plaza is also the epicenter of what organizers say is Alaska’s largest single-day event: The Midnight
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FAIRBANKS REGION
Sun Festival. Each year city streets are closed to vehicle traffic the weekend closest to summer solstice, vendors and entertainment are brought in and thousands cycle through. This year’s festival is June 24 and “really shows the color of Fairbanks,” van den Berg said. Also in Golden Heart Plaza is the office of the Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race, housed in an old cabin. Stop by and learn a little about one of the toughest sporting events around. Downtown Fairbanks’ borders are generally agreed to be Minnie Street and Gaffney Road on the north and south, and Noble Street and Barnette Street on the east and west, although van den Berg said the border is flexible. Work in recent years has significantly improved walking in downtown, specifically on Cushman and Noble streets. “Sidewalks and crosswalks are better from Westmark Hotel all the way to Golden Heart Plaza,” van den Berg said. One each of Fairbanks’ newest and oldest landmarks stand side-by-side just north of the Chena River. The Polaris sculpture, a multi-pronged stainless steel pyramid with accompanying informational plaques about Fairbanks’ past
is adjacent to the 1904 Immaculate Conception Church, one of Fairbanks’ oldest buildings. The church was built on the opposite side of the river and relocated in the winter of 1911. Sadly, another one of Fairbanks oldest buildings, the 1906 Masonic Temple, partially collapsed and was torn down in March. Downtown Fairbanks is also the core district for local businesses. Art galleries, gift shops, Native Alaskan gifts, coffee shops, antique stores, restaurants, outdoor goods and more total more than 300 Alaskan-owned business in the downtown core. If your visit to the Golden Heart City happens to fall on the first Friday of any month, be sure to check out the vast display of local artists at various galleries. “Always really good with downtown venues, and they’re all walkable,” van den Berg said. An impressive amount of history and entertainment is packed into Fairbanks’ small downtown. For more information and ideas visit www.downtownfairbanks.com, www. morristhompsoncenter.org or go to the visitor’s center at
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MORRIS THOMPSON CULTURAL CENTER A GREAT PLACE TO START YOUR VIST TO FAIRBANKS
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o matter the length of your stay in Fairbanks, the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center is a one-stop, must-see destination for information about Interior Alaska. Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, the center offers a variety of educational exhibits and cultural programs and is a favorite of visitors and locals alike. Five local entities — Explore Fairbanks, Tanana Chiefs Conference Cultural Programs, Alaska Public Lands Information Center, Alaska Geographic and Denakkanaaga Inc. — share the airy and sunlit building nestled in a tranquil setting on the banks of the Chena River in downtown Fairbanks. Last year more than 145,000 people passed through the doors to view interpretive exhibits, watch free films about our history and culture in the 100-seat theater and get information from helpful and experienced staff members.
Three life-size dioramas featuring realistically rendered landscapes allow visitors to experience the seasons as they walk through the 9,000-square-foot exhibit hall. A wolf, eagle and ermine eye pieces of salmon curing at a summer fish camp, while a beaver, Arctic ground squirrel and grizzly bear prepare for winter near the site of a fall hunting camp. A replica of a public-use cabin boasts a large window through which visitors can see a dog sled and a moose as a dazzling projection of the northern lights shimmers above a winter scene. Spring is portrayed with explanations of the various signs of the season, which include geese returning to Creamer’s Field, the beginning of road construction and the first mosquitos coming out of hiding. The exhibit ends with a visit to the Elders Hall and displays of historic and modern tools, clothing and artwork common to the Interior. Outside, nearby bike paths and walkways wend through the center’s grounds and neighboring Griffin Park, allowing visitors a peaceful space to contemplate
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By Dorothy Chomicz dchomicz@newsminer.com
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FAIRBANKS REGION
Alaska Public Lands Information Center offers visitors resource education; public lands information; interpretive services; fee collection; hiking, fishing and camping resources; and an extensive collection of maps to aid in backcountry trip planning. APLIC also sponsors the daily natural history and cultural films shown in the theater. The nonprofit Alaska Geographic bookstore offers books about Alaska culture, history and wilderness adventure, as well as children’s books, Alaska Native arts and crafts, DVDs, photography collections and maps. The bookstore is open daily during the summer season. For more information, call 459-3710 or visit akgeo.org. Denakkanaaga Inc. is a nonprofit organization that serves as the voice for Alaska Native elders in the Interior. The organization oversees the Fairbanks-based portion of the Road Scholar program, which offers seniors all-inclusive experiential learning adventures. To learn more about the program, call 451-3900 or visit www.denakkanaaga.
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nature and the spectacular beauty of a Fairbanks summer. Many use the center as a jumping off point for exploring town, while others prefer to wave hello to the world at the popular moose antler arch webcam, view the Athabascan beadwork-inspired sidewalk mosaics or visit the restored 1905 pioneer cabin on the center’s grounds. The center offers Wi-Fi, ample parking, restrooms and storage lockers for those who want to temporarily store their gear. It is open daily year-round, from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the summer and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the winter. Explore Fairbanks staffers will happily answer visitor questions, help plan itineraries and share their wealth of knowledge about Fairbanks and the Interior. Public computers, free courtesy phones and hundreds of brochures for local attractions and services are offered, and a daily listing of available accommodations can be found at www. explorefairbanks.com. For more information, call 456-5774 or visit the website. TCC Cultural Programs director Dixie Alexander has created three summer programs that highlight the traditions, crafts and culture of Interior Alaska’s Athabascan people with the help of local Alaska Native high school and college students. For times and prices, contact the Cultural Programs staff at 459-3741 or stop by their workshop at the center.
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EXPLORE FAIRBANKS’ COLORFUL HISTORY Staff Report newsroom@newsminer.com
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xperience more than 100 years of Interior Alaska History through photographs, newspaper clippings and artifacts at the Fairbanks Community and Dog Mushing Museum, located in the Co-op Plaza at 535 Second Ave. Admission is free, though donations are gratefully accepted. One display offers a glimpse into how residents amuse themselves during long, cold winters. A display about the Klondike Gold Rush, lots of dog mushing memorabilia, photographs and home movies from the historic 1967 flood are just some of the additional offerings.
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Dog Mushing
“Seasons of the Sled Dog,” a film about musher Mary Shields, is screened twice a day, and other movies are rotated in. A small gift shop with Alaskan literature and keepsakes helps fund the museum. The collection of historic photographs includes classic pictures of miners arduously ascending Chilkoot Pass during the Klondike Gold Rush. Some of those prospectors eventually made their way to Interior Alaska, striking gold in the hills surrounding Fairbanks and helping to put the Golden Heart City on the map. An art gallery now exhibits works by local artists in an art show on the first Friday of every month. The museum has exhibits dedicated to the Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race and the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Examples of beaded mittens and slippers made in the Interior Alaska village of Galena, located on the north
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FAIRBANKS REGION
bank of the Yukon River, are on display. Another display case boasts a bear skin coat with a wolf ruff. Check out one of the dog sleds that Charlie Biederman used to haul mail up and down the Yukon River. Biederman was the last contract mailman to deliver mail by dogsled. His route stretched 160 miles between Circle and Eagle on the Yukon River, and was discontinued in 1938. Another exhibit pays tribute to the late George Attla, one of the greatest sprint-race dog sled champions of all time. Across a wall are professional photographs showing all manner of wintertime events and activities in Fairbanks, including a picture of the famous outhouse races that used to take place at the Chatanika Lodge. More than 400 photographs of the aurora borealis taken by late photographer Warren Gammel can be viewed on an electronic display. The museum also possesses an old panoramic photograph of Fairbanks that is believed to have once adorned a wall at the Nordale Hotel, which burned down in 1972. It was found in a dump and donated to the museum, and burn marks on the picture lend truth to the story that it
was salvaged from the hotel’s ruins. The museum’s summer hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. most Sundays.
Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center 101 Dunkel Street • Downtown Fairbanks 8am – 9pm Summer • 8am – 5pm Winter
www.explorefairbanks.com (907) 456-5774 info@explorefairbanks.com
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Be inspired by the light of the Aurora Borealis. Renew your energy under the Midnight Sun. Experience the warmth of Fairbanks—Alaska’s Golden Heart—and the gateway to Denali, Interior and Arctic Alaska. Make the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center your first stop to planning your Alaskan adventure.
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GET A TWO-WHEELED PERSPECTIVE ON FAIRBANKS
Staff report newsroom@newsminer.com
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ith almost 24 hours of daylight, typically clear skies and temperatures that tend to stay in the mid 70s to mid 80s, Interior Alaska summers lend themselves perfectly to bicycle travel. From a leisurely pedal around Fairbanks neighborhoods to a more ambitious trip into the surrounding hillsides, visitors have a variety of options. Fairbikes offers daily bike rentals via phone app at an average cost of $5 per hour. The bright red-and-yellow, three-speed bikes come complete with a basket, a bell and a “really comfy seat,” according to Fairbikes co-founder John
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Stowman. The bikes can be picked up at and dropped off at 15 stations around town, including Golden Heart Plaza downtown, the University of Alaska Museum of the North, the Farmer’s Market on College Road and Pioneer Park. The Fairbikes app is available on the Apple App Store for iPhones and Google Play for Android devices. The app shows locations of available bikes, processes payment and unlocks the bike from its station. More information is available online at www.fairbikes.com. Another fun bike rental experience includes CanoeAlaska, which offers a package for biking and boating in downtown Fairbanks. Adventurers can rent an inflatable kayak or standup paddle board from the company’s downtown location, by the Fairbanks North Star Borough Administrative Center at 907 Terminal St., and float down to the Pioneer Park location. From there you can get a bike and ride it along a wide, paved riverfront trail back to the start. CanoeAlaska offers standard, road and fat bikes and is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend. Excursions are available by appointment in the off season. More information is available at canoealaska.com/ or by calling 907-457-2453. The Alaska Public Lands Information Center at the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center maintains a list of businesses that rent bikes and other equipment. Information can be found online at alaskacenters.gov/cycling-inthe-interior.cfm. Local governments have created an online map with preferred bike routes in the Fairbanks and North Pole. The online map can be found at http://fmats.us/bikeways_map/ and a paper copy is available at the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center.
Rides
A good half-day bike trip is the 16-mile bike path that follows Farmers Loop. The route climbs into the hills north of Fairbanks, giving a great view of the city and the snow-covered mountains of the Alaska Range more than 100 miles to the south. Other road bike excursions from Fairbanks include trips to the town of Ester (about 20 miles round-trip from downtown Fairbanks) and Fox (about 25 miles round trip). A bike path alongside Chena Pump Road ends at the Tanana Wayside and Boat Launch on Chena Pump Road, offering bicyclists a 9-mile roundtrip accessible from various shared-used bike paths around Fairbanks. Popular mountain bike areas include Birch Hill Recreation Area and the University of Alaska Fairbanks trails. Both are used by skiers in the winter and are popular with bikers in the summer. For a more challenging mountain bike trip, try the single-track trails on Ester Dome.
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FAIRBANKS REGION
MUSEUM IS MADE FOR KIDS, BUT ADULTS CAN VISIT, TOO Staff Report newsroom@newsminer.com
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airbanks is rich in museums, including one that the kids will love: the Fairbanks Children’s Museum. The museum opened January 2015 in downtown Fairbanks after almost 10 years of planning. Its goal is simple — to foster education through play. It achieves that goal by housing educational exhibits designed as play stations. Kids can climb a replica of Denali, take in art and science classes, play and create, all while receiving an education and not even knowing it. Current exhibits include a water table, air maze, giantsized Lite Brite, human-sized pinscreen, climbing wall, scientific microscope, puppet theater, building blocks, Rigamajig set, light tables and more. The museum also has a toddler play area with toddler toys and soft carpets, and an Imagineering Lab full of crafts and craft tables. This summer the museum will be hosting the Children of Hangzhou, a special traveling exhibit that allows visitors to explore contemporary Chinese culture through the eyes of children. Dates have yet to be determined but can be found on the museum website at www.fairbankschildrensmuseum.com. The museum hosts rotating in-house displays and programs and provides summer field trips to Fairbanks destinations. It also hosts summer camps for children ages 4-9, with selections including storytelling, science and craft camps. Registration is necessary to attend the summer camps and prices vary from $90 to $250. As the museum likes to say, “Adults must be accompanied and supervised by a child.” The 7,500-square-foot museum is located at 302 Cushman St., Suite 101. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays. The
museum is closed on Mondays. Regular admission is $8 for ages 12 months and older; children under 12 months old are admitted free. $7 for active duty military and dependents. Museum memberships are available. The museum is a partner with Museums for All, so if you have an EBT card, admission is reduced to $3 for up to four people per card. You can reach the museum by email at hello@fairbankschildrensmuseum.com or by calling 907-374-6873. Check out the museum’s online calendar of events for the most updated selection of classes, programs and exhibits.
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IT’S ALWAYS CHRISTMAS IN NORTH POLE, ALASKA By Amanda Bohman abohman@newsminer.com
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orth Pole’s town motto is “Where the spirit of Christmas lives year round,” and the city website—www. northpolealaska.com—has a counter showing how many days are left until Christmas, but there’s more to do in North Pole than check out where Santa Claus lives. The community 14 miles southeast of Fairbanks down the Richardson Highway has a network of trails, including an exercise path with stations for doing different kinds of strength training, a new library and a growing inventory of parks, including a music park, a dog park, a newlyexpanded skate park and a new memorial park dedicated to people in uniform who have died in the line of duty. The community also has its own visitor center and a wheelchair-accessible nature trail that starts at City Hall. North Pole began as a homestead. Developmentminded residents adopted the name with the hope of attracting toy manufacturers. When the toy factories failed to materialize, the town decided to embrace the Christmas
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theme. Many streets in and around the community bear holiday names: Santa Claus Lane, Snowman Lane, Kris Kringle, Mistletoe, Holiday Road, Saint Nicholas Drive, North Star Drive, Blitzen and Donner. Buildings and street lights are decorated with Christmas designs. The Santa Claus House, the red and white building beside a 42-foot tall, 900-pound Santa Claus statue, was originally a trading post and served as the first post office in North Pole. It’s now a gift shop and a top attraction along the Richardson Highway, where visitors can meet St. Nick and pick up some Christmas treasures. The Christmas-themed town of about 2,000 people is home to a large concentration of military veterans and hosts one of the most patriotic Fourth of July parades in the area. A street fair follows with games, family-friendly activities and vendors. One of the features of the block party is an ice-carving demonstration. The Trooper Gabe Rich and Trooper Scott Johnson Memorial Park is located at the corner of Doughchee Avenue and San Augsutin Drive next to Thirtymile Slough. It was to be dedicated on May 1, 2018, the four-year anniversary of when the park’s namesakes, Trooper Rich and Sgt. Johnson, were shot and killed in the Interior Alaska village of Tanana during an attempt to arrest a resident. The one-acre park is the result of a multi-year community outpouring of labor and financial assistance. The walls
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101 St. Nichols Drive Since 1952, Santa Claus House has provided millions North Pole Alaska of guests with an exciting shopping experience and an abundance of photo opportunities. Visit with Santa, browse through thousands of unique gifts, enjoy a treat from The Sweet Shop, and view the World’s Largest Santa, standing nearly 50 feet tall. While you’re here, meet Santa’s Reindeer Team, next door at Antler Academy. And, don’t forget to ask about the “Original Letter from Santa,” a family tradition for generations.
Since 1952, Santa Claus House has provided millions of guests with an exciting shopping experience and Antler Academy flying & Reindeer Games anofabundance of photo opportunities. Visit with Santa and his reindeer, bro through thousands of unique and view World’s Tallest Santa, wheregifts, reindeer go the to fly standing over 40 feet high. H POLE NORT
1-800-588-4078 or (907)488-2200 1-800-588-4078 or (907) 488-2200 www.SantaClausHouse.com www.SantaClausHouse.com
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ALASKA
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DRIVE THROUGH THE PAST AT ANTIQUE AUTO MUSEUM Staff Report newsroom@newsminer.com
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earheads and history buffs alike can spend a fascinating afternoon wandering among classic models at Fairbanks’ only antique auto museum. The museum features a collection of more than 85 antique vehicles from as early as the 1800s, including horseless carriages, steamers, electric cars, speedsters, cyclecars, midget racers and 1930s classics. All but a few of the vehicles are functional and running. Fairbanks businessman Tim Cerny began collecting the vehicles in 2007, taking care to select vehicles from a range of historical eras representing historical significance and technology. A specific vehicle worth noting is the museum’s oldest — a 1898 Hay Motor Vehicle Stanhope Phaeton. Visitors can also visualize the dress of the various eras. More than 100 vintage and antique outfits are on display throughout the museum, with a smaller collection avail-
able for visitors to try on for photos. Self-guided tours are available during business hours. If visitors prefer a guided tour, museum guides provide tours of 90-minutes and take visitors through the extensive collection of vehicles, discussing the history of the vehicles as well as challenges early motorists faced in the Last Frontier.
What: Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum When: Summer hours start mid-May: Sunday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Where: 212 Wedgewood Drive, Fairbanks Cost: $10 for ages 13 and older, $5 for ages 6 to 12, children ages 5 and under free. Tours and season passes are available. Phone: 907-450-2100 Online: fountainheadmuseum.com
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FAIRBANKS REGION
TRANS-ALASKA OIL PIPELINE AN ENGINEERING MARVEL Staff Report newsroom@newsminer.com
T
he trans-Alaska oil pipeline, one of the most ambitious construction projects ever undertaken, stretches hundreds of miles across some of the roughest and most remote terrain in the world. Crews began laying pipe in spring 1975 and laid the final stretch of the line on May 31, 1977. The first oil moved through the pipeline on June 20 of that year. More than 70,000 workers were involved in building the pipeline. It cost $8 billion in 1977 and was, at the time, the largest privately funded construction project ever undertaken. The pipeline stretches more than 800 miles from Alaska’s North Slope to the ice-free port of Valdez on Prince William Sound. There, at the pipeline’s end, the oil is transferred into storage tanks and loaded onto tanker ships for transport to West Coast refineries. How much oil goes through the pipeline? The highest average daily throughput was 2.03 million barrels in 1988. The pipeline carries much less than that now; it averaged 527,323 barrels daily in 2017. The pipeline is one of the top attractions for visitors to Alaska, and some of the best places to view the pipeline are in the Interior. The pipeline often trails alongside the Dalton, Elliott and Richardson highways. One of the best places to view the pipeline is just north of Fairbanks, at 8.4 Mile Steese Highway near Fox. Visitors there can get out of their cars and walk alongside the pipeline, which rests above ground on vertical support beams. For visitors seeking a more sweeping view of the pipeline, Donnelly Dome, located just south of Delta Junction on the Richardson Highway, rises above the surrounding valley and provides a view of the pipeline as it travels south
alongside the Delta River. Not far south from Donnelly Dome, the pipeline crosses the Richardson Highway, going below ground to travel under the highway before rising back out of the earth onto its supports. The highway pullout near the pipeline crossing is a popular stopping point for drivers.
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ACTIVITIES GALORE AT CHENA HOT SPRINGS RESORT Staff Report newsroom@newsminer.com
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springs in both summer and winter. Special online-only deals are often posted on the resort’s website: www.chenahotsprings.com.
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or more than a century, people have been heading to Chena Hot Springs to soak up the mineral springs. Today, they also can tour ice carvings and geothermically heated greenhouses and ride behind a team of sled dogs. All are open year-round. The resort lies 60 miles northeast of Fairbanks at the end of the paved road that bears its name. The resort draws visitors from around the world and is renowned for the amazing aurora borealis displays overhead in the winters. The aurora isn’t visible under the midnight sun, but there are plenty of other activities. Chena Hot Springs Resort adds a number of amenities to the naturally occurring springs, including an indoor pool ideal for kids and hot tubs. The resort features about 80 rooms and family suites in its Moose Lodge as well as cabins and camping areas. Several hiking trails lead into the hills surrounding the resort. Other attractions include an activity center, a disc golf course, bike and canoe rentals and horseback and all-terrain-vehicle tours. A sled-dog kennel offers cart rides. For day-trippers, a dip in the pool is $15, or a family punch-card with 10 slots is $100. The resort is also home to the world’s largest year-round ice structure - the Aurora Ice Musem. The ice museum was created from more than 1,000 tons of ice and snow and was completed in January 2005. It is kept at 25 degrees year-round and is filled with spectacular ice carvings. Parkas are available, free of charge. Ice museum visitors 21 and over can also sample an appletini in a carved-ice glass for $15. The resort is self-contained and sustainable in a number of ways. It includes its own restaurant, cafe, ice museum, cabins, hotel and saloon. For many years and in many cultures, mineral spring waters have been considered to possess healing properties. In addition to taking the waters at Chena Hot Springs, visitors can schedule a massage at the resort’s massage parlor. Developer Bernie Karl is a firm believer in sustainable business methods. Much of the food served at the resort is grown in its greenhouse on site, and much of the rest is locally sourced from Interior Alaska. The greenhouse, like the springs, is heated geothermally. Each year, the resort hosts a renewable energy fair that brings in exhibitors from across Alaska. The resort’s website includes information on its accommodations and openings as well as pictures of the hot
20
COOL OFF WITH SOME AMAZING ICE SCULPTURES By Bob Eley For the News-Miner
S
ome of the coolest assets in Fairbanks can be found on Second Avenue in the heart of the Golden Heart
City. The magnificent ice sculptures you may have seen in photographs taken during the frigid winter months come to life in the Fairbanks Ice Museum located in the historic Lacey Street Theater at the corner of Second Avenue and Lacey Street. Experience winter fun in the middle of summer with an hour-long show, featuring a film about winter in Fairbanks, a tour of ice sculptures and the actual carving of an ice sculpture. The Ice Museum is owned and operated by Hoa and Dick Brickley, who hosted the 2018 International Ice Art Exhibition and Kids Park at the George Horner Ice Park this past winter. The Ice Museum houses 15 to 20 ice sculptures carved by some of the participants in the International Ice Art Exhibition. The museum offers hourly shows from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week from early May through midSeptember
What: Fairbanks Ice Museum When: Hourly shows from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. with Northern Lights shows at 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. Where: Lacey Street Theater, Second Avenue and Lacey Street. Cost: $15 adults, $10 ages 6 to 17, free for children 5 and younger. Aurora show is $10. Phone: 451-8222 Online: www.icemuseum.com
Each show features a film on winter in Fairbanks and the former World Ice Art Championships, a chance to view the ice sculptures and to watch an ice carver at work, all from the comfort of your theater seats. For the adventurous, you can put on a jacket (provided by the museum) and enter the ice room, where the temperature is kept at a balmy 15 to 20 degrees above zero. In the ice room, you have the opportunity to go down an ice slide just like the ones at the kids park as well as view the sculptures up close and have numerous photo opportunities. Admission to one of the shows is $15 for adults, $10 for children ages 6 to 17. Children 5 and under get in free. Twice a day the Ice Museum offers another view of a natural winter event – the aurora borealis. LeRoy Zimmerman’s photosymphony “The Aurora Experience!” is billed as “a widescreen, panoramic, visual masterpiece.” Zimmerman, who died in November 2015, worked as a photographer for more than 40 years and traveled the globe capturing images of the northern lights. The show is at 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. each day and costs $10. Admission to both shows can be purchased for $22.
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FAIRBANKS REGION
GET A FRESH START AT A LOCAL FARMERS MARKET
T
he bounty of the state’s harvests can be found all over Interior Alaska, especially at our farmers mar-
kets. Usually starting in May and running through midSeptember, farmers markets in the Fairbanks region offer everything that grows big and bold under our 24-hour summer daylight: zucchinis, yellow squash, onions, potatoes, broccoli, greens, carrots, radishes, tomatoes and more. Much more. If we can grow it in Alaska, you can find it at a farmers market. And that’s not even mentioning the people who turn out to sell their homemade wares. Potters, craftsmen and artists all inhabit our markets, too, selling everything from homemade goat milk soap to paintings and pottery to hand-crafted items that reflect Alaska. Don’t forget the food, either. Our markets are filled with vendors selling fresh-made items for purchase that you can eat on the spot. The Tanana Valley Farmers Market is the largest of Interior Alaska’s farmers markets. Located at 2600 College Road, the market is open Saturdays and Wednesdays through Sept. 15. The market opens for the season May 12. Hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays. The Tanana Valley Farmers market also features Chef at the Market from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. every other Wednesday starting in July. The program, now in its seventh season, is an effort between the Fairbanks Economic Development Corp. and the farmers market in which local chefs demonstrate easy recipes using Alaska-grown produce. Market Festival Fairbanks takes place downtown in Golden Heart Plaza. The market, which features produce stands from local farmers, food vendors, and artists and their wares, opens May 28 and runs through Sept. 3. It’s
WEDNESDAY 11 – 4
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open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays. The nonprofit organization Festival Fairbanks organizes the downtown market. Because of its central location in downtown, Market Festival Fairbanks also includes a slate of rotating performers and musicians who perform summer concerts in the plaza. It’s located at 516 First Ave. In South Fairbanks, the Southside Community Farmers Market, hosted by Calypso Farm and Ecology Center, is returning. It will operate 4-7 p.m. Tuesdays at the corner of 24th and Rickert streets, next to the JP Jones Community Center. The market opens June 5 and runs through the end of September. The market also doubles the value of food stamps and accepts WIC and senior stamps. Just outside Fairbanks, the community of Ester hosts the Ester Community Market each Thursday, starting June 7 and running through September, from 4:30-7:30 p.m. in Ester Community Park. Nenana, about 60 miles south of Fairbanks on the Parks Highway, hosts its farmers market from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays starting in mid-May and running through midSeptember at the Nenana Civic Center on Main Street.
22
TAKE A WALK WITH THE REINDEER AT FAIRBANKS RANCH By Bob Eley For the News-Miner
R
eindeer have always been one of the animals associated with Alaska, so it shouldn’t come as a big surprise that taking a walk in the woods with one of these animals has become popular with visitors to the Golden Heart City. Running Reindeer Ranch and its daily Walk With A Reindeer program is heading into its eighth year, provid-
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ing visitors the opportunity to mingle with these mostly docile animals that are the domestic version of the wild caribou. The ranch is located in the beautiful Goldstream Valley about 12 miles from downtown Fairbanks. The seven reindeer are the stars of the 2½-hour tour on the property owned by tour guide Jane Atkinson and her husband, Doug Toelle. Tours can be scheduled for either 10:30 a.m. or 6 p.m. each day; however, there is only one tour per day. The
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first visitors to register on a particular day get to choose the time of the tour. Everyone else who wants to tour on that day will only have that one option. The tour, rated as one of the top attractions in Fairbanks on travel website TripAdvisor.com, is limited to about 20 participants. Tours must be booked online by going to www.runningreindeer.com. The first reindeer arrived at the ranch in 2007 as a compromise pet for Atkinson’s daughter, Robin Spielman, who really wanted a horse. The business started by accident after walks with reindeer became popular with friends and family. Atkinson knew little about the reindeer before the first one arrived at the ranch, but has since become knowledgeable about the history and behavior of the animals. She said most of the questions she gets are about the differences between reindeer and caribou as well as questions about the animals’ antlers. The summer tour begins with an introduction and safety talk, followed by a walk through the woods on the property and concluding with another talk about the natural history of the area and reindeer, a question-and-answer period and cookies for all participants.
The ranch recently grew larger with the acquisition of neighboring property. Just how that will work into the program remains to be seen, Toelle said. The cost of the tour ranges from $55 to $100 for adults and $35 to $55 for children ages 3 to 11, depending on the day of the tour and how far ahead a visitor registers. It is recommended that children be at least school-age to participate. For more information, send an e-mail to info@runningreindeer.com or call 455-4998.
What: Running Reindeer Ranch When: Morning and evening times available; however, there is only one tour per day. Where: The ranch is in the Goldstream Valley Cost: Prices start at $55 for adults and $35 for children ages 3 to 11. Phone: (907) 455-4998 Online: All bookings are done online at www.runningreindeer.com
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24
FAIRBANKS CELEBRATES ITS GOLDEN HISTORY By Bob Eley For the News-Miner
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airbanks is a Gold Rush Town that basks in 24 hours of daylight throughout the summer, and there’s no better way to celebrate the occurrence than the Golden Days Festival each July. Golden Days, primarily organized by the Greater Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce with contributing events by many other entities, is scheduled from July 14-21 this year. The multi-day celebration of the discovery of gold in the hills north of the Golden Heart City features the Grande Parade, a street fair, the Rubber Duckie Race, a river regatta, the Pioneers of Alaska Mug Up and many other events, making for a festive week of fun-filled follies as the summer season begins to wind down. Visit www.fairbankschamber. org/golden-days for a schedule of Golden Days events and www.goldendaysregatta.com for river regatta information. The biggest day of the weeklong Golden Days celebration comes on Saturday, July 21, with the Golden Days Grande Parade presented by Kinross Fort Knox Mine, the
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Street Fair presented by Foundation Health Partners and the Rubber Duckie Race presented by Sunrise Bagel and Espresso. The parade starts at the Carlson Center and rollis through downtown Fairbanks on Second Avenue and proceeding down Noble Street to Gaffney Road. The Golden Mile, a Running Club North event that raises funds for the Literacy Council of Alaska, kicks off the parade as more than 100 runners follow a mile of the parade route in front of thousands of spectators waiting for the biggest parade in the city to get started. Once the parade is over, about noon, the street fair swings into high gear, with booths on First Avenue and Golden Heart Plaza. Free pony rides and a petting zoo and a kid’s corner have been added to this year’s festivities thanks to a sponsorship from the UA College Savings Plan. The Rubber Duckie Race caps the day’s activities when thousands of rubber ducks are deposited into the Chena River at the Wendell Street Bridge with the first to reach the finish line at the Cushman Street Bridge earning money for those who have the lucky winning tickets. More than $20,000 in cash and many other prizes are doled out. Tickets are sold for $5 and $10. Other chamber-sponsored events include a kickoff luncheon on July 17 at the Carlson Center (outdoors if weather permits) Old-Tyme Games presented by Golden Heart Utilities on July 18 at Pioneer Park and a Business After Hours event on July 19 at a location to be determined. The big week gets started with the Golden Days River Regatta on July 14. The regatta starts at 11 a.m. at Graehl Landing and ends at Pioneer Park, with the flotilla after-party scheduled to start at 3 p.m. at the Big I bar. For rules and regulations and details on how to enter the event, go to www.goldendaysregatta.com.
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CREAMER’S FIELD ISN’T JUST FOR THE BIRDS By Bob Eley For the News-Miner
I
f you want a quality outdoor experience without leaving the City of Fairbanks, then Creamer’s Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge is the perfect spot for you. The environmentally diverse wildlife refuge is a safe haven for migratory birds and other wildlife as well as an oasis to people who want to spend a few quiet minutes or even hours outdoors. The refuge was purchased from Creamer’s Dairy through a community wide fundraising campaign more than 50 years ago and is now part of a large complex that includes the farmhouse and gift shop and the Creamer’s Dairy barns. it also houses the Alaska Department of Fish and Game Fairbanks offices. With support from the Fairbanks community, Friends of Creamer’s Field conducts programs at Creamer’s Field throughout the entire year, with the most popular of those programs coming during the summer and fall. The nonprofit organization run by volunteers serves as steward of the state-owned refuge in cooperation with the Alaska State Department of Fish and Game. There are three main hiking/walking trails at Creamer’s Field and trail maps are available at the visitor center. The Boreal Forest Trail is the most popular of the trails, taking you on a 1.5 mile walk featuring at least 17 points of interest. The Farm Road Trail and the Seasonal Wetlands Trail go out into the adjacent fields where the migratory geese, cranes and swans frolic during spring and fall. The Friends of Creamer’s Field offer volunteer-naturalist nature walks at 10 a.m. Monday through Saturday, departing from the visitor center. A guided hike also takes place at 7 p.m. every Wednesday. The walks generally use the Boreal Forest Trail, but sometimes use the other trails depending on wildlife activity, according Laurie Trotta, president of the nonprofit organization.
What: Creamer’s Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge When: Refuge is open year-round. Visitor center and gift shop is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily from June 1-Sept. 1. Where: Main entrance is at 1300 College Road. Handicap accessible parking is available next to the farmhouse entrance ramp. Cost: Admission is free. Donations are accepted Phone: (907) 452-5162 Online: Friends of Creamer’s Field, www.creamersfield.org
Among some of the more popular events hosted by Friends of Creamer’s Field are the Design Alaska Wild Art Walk (June 17), Creamer’s Dairy Day (July 22) and the Tanana Valley Sandhill Crane Festival (Aug. 24-26). The Art Walk features as many as 30 Fairbanks area artists along the walk route drawing, sketching and painting wildlife artwork. Many of those works are auctioned off to help Friends of Creamer’s Field continue its mission at the refuge. Creamer’s Dairy Day features a tour of the former dairy, shared anecdotes about the farm from members of the Creamer family and an ice cream social. The 21st annual Sandhill Crane Festival occurs when thousands of the birds make landfall in the front field of the refuge for a few weeks before continuing their fall migration from Siberia and Alaska. This year’s festival is Aug. 24-26 and offers workshops demonstrations and talks by special guests, guided nature walks and other fun activities. If you go to Creamer’s Field on your own, dogs are allowed, but they must be kept on leashes. Doggy stations are set up along the trails. There are elevated observation platforms for those who want a birds-eye view over the birch, spruce, poplar and willow trees. Visitors can leave the trails and venture into the fields at any time except during the bird migration periods when the fields are off limits to people and dogs. For more adventurous hikers, there is an entrance on the northeast side of the refuge, accessible from Farmers Loop, off Fielder Road via the Alaska Dog Mushers Association trails. Trail users are advised to exercise caution and preparedness. The trailhead leads to 40 miles of undeveloped trails best used in winter. Summer hikers should be aware that the terrain may be boggy.
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26
RENOWNED MIDNIGHT SUN GAME IS ALWAYS A HOME RUN By Jordan Rodenberger jrodenberger@newsminer.com
A
tradition for more than a century, playing baseball under the midnight sun at Growden Memorial Park has become one of Fairbanks’ most famed attractions. The Alaska Goldpanners will host the Orange County Surf in the 113th edition of the Midnight Sun Game, which is played entirely without artificial light on the summer solstice. The opening pitch is scheduled for 10 p.m. June 21, and weather permitting, the sun should be shining throughout the game (sunset is at 12:48 a.m.) Tickets can be purchased online at goldpanners.com or by calling (907) 451-0095. The gates will open at 8 p.m. The Midnight Sun Game has been featured in the Sporting News, Grantland, and Sports Illustrated, and on ESPN’s SportsCenter. The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York, declared the game a must-see-event for baseball fans. The Goldpanners are playing an independent schedule for the third consecutive season after playing in the Alaska
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What: Midnight Sun Game When: 10 p.m., Thursday, June 21. Gates open at 8 p.m. Where: Growden Memorial Park, Second Avenue and Wilbur Street Cost: $25 for general admission, $50-75 for reserved seating. Phone: (907) 451-0095 Online: goldpanners.com
Baseball League for more than 50 years. The Panners, who went 29-9 ast season, have only lost the Midnight Sun Game 12 times since they took over the tradition in 1960. This tradition began in 1906 as a bar bet between the Eagles Club and the California Bar, led by Eddie Stroecker, who is nicknamed “Father of the Midnight Sun Game.” One of the traditions of the game is to sing the Alaska Flag Song during the half inning closest to midnight. The Goldpanners are a wood bat, summer-league team whose roster consists primarily of college athletes. More than 200 former Panners have gone on to play in the major leagues. The list of Goldpanners alumni includes Baseball Hall of Famers Tom Seaver and Dave Winfield. Other notable MLB players who have donned the Panner uniform include Barry Bonds, Dave Kingman, Terry Francona, and Bill Lee.
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TEAM
TIME
June 10 June 11-16
San Diego Waves San Diego Waves
3 p.m. 7 p.m.
June 18-20 **June 21 June 22 June 23 June 24
Orange County Surf 7 p.m. Orange County Surf 10 p.m. ** (Midnight Sun Game) Orange County Surf 7 p.m. Orange County Surf (2) 1 p.m. Orange County Surf 1 p.m.
July 12-14 July 15 July 16-17
Ventura Pirates Ventura Pirates (2) Ventura Pirates
7 p.m. 3 p.m. 7 p.m.
July 19-21 July 22 July 23-24
San Fran Seals San Fran Seals (2) San Fran Seals
7 p.m. 3 p.m. 7 p.m.
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FAIRBANKS REGION
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28
ANNUAL MIDNIGHT SUN RUN ‘A BIG PARTY FOR THE CITY’ By Terrence Holmes For the News-Miner
I
t’s that time of the year when some people trade in snow boots for running shoes. Susan Kramer has been involved in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner Midnight Sun Run 10-kilometer race for parts of nine years. She has worked as the race director for the past five years, overseeing one of the most popular running events in Alaska. The 35th edition Midnight Sun run begins at 10 p.m., June 23 at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Patty Center and finishes in front of the Square Dance Hall at Pioneer Park. The race is a part of the annual Midnight Sun Festival. Wendy Cloyd, the Fairbanks Resource Agency’s assistant director of community development, has helped Kramer for a couple of years with putting on the event. Cloyd also competed in the Midnight Sun Run fives times in a row before becoming involved with the working aspect of the race. “It’s kind of a big party for the city,” she said. “It’s one of the things that everyone looks forward to every summer.
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It’s a long six-mile block party.” Ten kilometers equals 6.2. miles. “Alaskans in general have a lot of pride and we like to share all about our state,” Cloyd said. “We are especially grateful when people come up for reasons like the Midnight Sun Run because it shows that people are interested in Alaska and we are quite a friendly group.” Another fun activity of the race is its costume parade and contest. There are three themes from which the contestants can choose. Local businesses sponsor prizes for the best costumes, which are in three divisions —individual; teams of up to four people; and ages 12 and younger. Even spectators dress up for the fun of it. Pre-registration for the Midnight Sun Run goes through a week before the race, and the entry fee is $25 per entry. Once the website is closed for processing, the fee could increase, particularly on the race-day.
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FAIRBANKS REGION
midnightsunrun). Kramer can also be reached at the Fairbanks Resource Agency at 456-8901. The top male and female finisher of the Midnight Sun Run each receive $500. Alexander Eckert, of Fairbanks, won overall last year in 33 minutes, 26 seconds. Molly Callahan, also of Fairbanks, was the women’s winner and placed 17th overall in 36:26.
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907-451-0981 • 418 3rd Street, Suite 1A Fairbanks, AK
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There is a discounted rate for runners ages 12 and under. To register, visit www.midnightsunrun.net and click the “2018 Registration” tab. The Midnight Sun Run is a nonprofit organization. Proceeds from the race benefit the Fairbanks Resource Agency. More information about the race is provided on its website, the race’s Facebook and Twitter pages (www. facebook.com/midnightsunrun/, and www.twitter.com/
DID YOU KNOW? Sunrise in Fairbanks on June 21 is 2:57 a.m. Sunset is 12:47 a.m. The sun is above the horizon for a total of 21 hours, 49 minutes • Fairbanks gets 18 hours, 8 minutes more daylight on June 21 than it does on winter solstice, December 21, thanks to the 23-degree tilt of the Earth’s axis. Visit our Local convenience store serving the community of Fairbanks over 25 years.
Check out our $5 meal deals
Owned and proudly operated by Jennifer Haynes Stop in to buy candy, sodas, pop corn, sundries & tobacco products.
STORE HOURS: Mon–Sat 9am to 9pm • 452-3289 • 212 Lacey Street
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• Fairbanks is 140 miles south of the Arctic Circle, the latitude at which the sun doesn’t set on summer solstice. However, because of the refraction of the sun’s light on the atmosphere, it’s light from mid-May to early August. • Fairbanks has 70 days of civil twilight, a term that means it’s light enough for outdoor activities without artificial light. That’s May 17 to July 28.
• The town of Circle at the end of the Steese Highway, was named by prospectors in the 1800s in the mistaken belief that it was on the Arctic Circle. It is about 40 miles south of the Arctic Circle.
107 Wickersham Street Fairbanks, AK 99701 452-2501
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• If you want to see the sun not set on summer solstice, you’ll need to head to the hills. Eagle Summit, at Mile 103 Steese Highway, is high enough to view the sun skimming the horizon to the north.
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• Alaska Public Lands Information Center • Fairbanks Convention and Visitors Bureau
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99701 907-374-3900
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401 5th Avenue 99701 907-452-5495
7th Ave
Pizza 8 Domino’s 410 Merhar Ave., Ste. 219 99701 907-451-8201
FORT WAINWRIGHT
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9 3434 College Road
99709 907-590-7114
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Noble St
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99701 907-455-4070
Spot Feeds 11 Cold 377 Helmericks Ave.
99701 907-457-8555
Bradway Rd
12 Just Haircuts
2319 S Cushman Street 99701 907-452-4487
13 If Only … a fine store 215 Cushman Street 99701 907-457-6659
Alaskan Bowl Co. 14 Great 4630 Old Airport Road 99709 907-474-9663
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PIONEER PARK OFFERS A TASTE OF INTERIOR ALASKA HISTORY, LOTS OF FAMILY FUN For the News-Miner
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ioneer Park offers a little bit of everything for visitors to the Golden Heart
City. If you want history, head to Pioneer Park. If you want fun for the kids, go to Pioneer Park. If you want to eat on the run or have a familystyle dinner, go to Pioneer Park. With six museums, nine attractions, shops, lots of places to get some grub plus arts events, playgrounds and picnic areas and more on the 40-acre site, the historic theme park gives the visitor an opportunity to learn a lot about Interior Alaska and early Fairbanks. Most of the buildings in Gold Rush Town are homes of prominent Fairbanks founders, moved to the location when the park opened as the “Alaska ‘67 Centennial Exposition” in 1967 to celebrate the 100 years since the United States purchased
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Alaska from Russia. Originally known as Alaskaland, the name was changed to Pioneer Park by the Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly in 2002. There are several historic exhibitions located at the park at 2500 Airport Way — Alaska Native Museum, Harding Car, Kitty Hensley House, Pioneer Air Museum, Pioneer Museum, Riverboat Nenana, Tanana Valley Railroad Museum, Lavelle Young Wheelhouse and the Wickersham House. Other attractions in the park include Canoe Alaska, Bear Gallery, Big Stampede Show, Crooked Creek Railroad, Lucky Fox Gold Mine, Mini-Golf Fairbanks, Roela’s Carousel, First Presbyterian Church, Dance Hall and the Palace Theater. You can do plenty of shopping on the grounds, as well. Shops include Betsy’s Photography, CHARMS by CJ, Fairbanks Arts Association, Just Originals, Little Willow, Oh So Wonderful, Alaska Wilds Photography and the Pick and Poke Gift Shop. Midnight Sun ATV Tours also operates out of Pioneer
What: Pioneer Park When: Concessions open from noon-8 p.m. from Memorial Day to Labor Day weekends Where: Main entrance on Airport Way between Peger Road and Wilbur Street Cost: Admission is free, cost of attractions varies. Phone: (907) 459-1087 Online: On Facebook at Fairbanks North Star Borough Pioneer Park
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Mediterranean and American Food • in business since 1972 •
Bring This Coupon for a Free Soft Drink with food purchase
Pioneer Park Cabin #25 • on the Boardwalk
Open Daily 11 am - 8 pm • 456-3672
the perimeter of the park. The park is open year-round. Concession hours are from noon-8 p.m. daily from Memorial Day to Labor Day. There is no general admission fee, but some museums have admission charges while others accept donations. Pioneer Park also welcomes RV visitors to stay in the parking lot for $12 per night for a maximum of five consecutive nights. No reservations are required, but RV visitors should register at the dropbox in the parking lot. There are no hook-ups available. Potable water is available on-site.
The Bag Ladies of Fairbanks Cabin 2 in Pioneer Park Memorial Day to Labor Day
We have many locally handcrafted Alaskan gifts, soaps, books, jewelry, fabric and espresso coffee shop. Why not stop by for our great home made soup & sandwiches while enjoying it in our Historical log cabin!
OPEN DAILY 11 A.M. – 8 P.M. • 455-1269
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Park at Cabin No. 26. The company offers half-day excursions at 9 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. that include scenic views, wildlife viewing and lots of trail riding time. “We go 32 miles. Sixteen miles in and 16 miles out. We go up the Chena Hot Springs Road. We use the Mike Kelly Memorial Trail. It’s at about Mile 18,” said Rick Port, owner of the tour business. Costs are $190 for a driver and $280 for a driver with a passenger. There are discounts for senior citizens, military and groups of five or more. For more information on Midnight Sun ATV Tours, go to www.midnightsunatvtours.com or call 907-987-3331. If you are looking for some food, there’s plenty of it, with the Alaska Salmon Bake, Frosty Paws, Gold Rush Ice Cream Parlour, Mama Grizzly’s Grill, Souvlaki, Tasha’s Caribbean Cuisine, The Bag Ladies of Fairbanks, all offering up something to please. If you’re into the arts, the Bear Gallery in the Centennial Center for the Arts offers monthly shows, and Gazebo Nights feature different local musicians or storytellers at 7 p.m. daily at the gazebo. There’s a square dance hall as well. Pioneer Park also features two large playgrounds stocked with plenty of equipment, a picnic area, a minigolf course, horseshoes, volleyball, a carousel and a narrow-gauge train that takes passengers for a ride around
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MAJOR ATTRACTIONS AT PIONEER PARK For the News-Miner
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ioneer Park offers visitors numerous opportunities to take in the deep and rich history of Fairbanks and Interior Alaska. Museums and facilities in the park showcase aviation and railroad history, as well as some of Fairbanks’ storied buildings. The Fairbanks North Star Borough Parks and Recreation Department oversees the park. Facilities are open from noon to 8 p.m. daily from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend. Most are free, but some charge admission as noted. Donations are gladly accepted. Here are some of the major attractions:
Pioneer Museum
The Pioneers of Alaska play a huge role at Pioneer Park by operating the Pioneer Museum, the Big Stampede Show and the Kitty Hensley House. Hundreds of photographs and numerous items donated by the early pioneers and gold-seekers adorn the walls of the museum, which was built in 1967 as part of the Alaska 67 Exposition to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the United States’ purchase of Alaska from Russia. Photos and dioramas depict the first Fairbanks gold rush as well as the second surge when a series of gold dredges extracted millions of ounces of gold from area lakes and ponds. The museum also has a research computer to check family genealogy or to view any of the more than 10,000 photographs from the early days of Fairbanks to the mid-1960s. Marks on the outside of the building show the water levels from the devastating flood of 1967. The museum is open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. There is no admission fee, but donations are appreciated.
Big Stampede Show
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The Gold Rush Saga comes to life in the Big Stampede Show, which shows four times daily throughout the summer. Take a trip over Chilkoot Pass, shoot the rapids, strike it rich in Dawson City, then move on to Fairbanks. The 50-minute show is narrated by poet laureate Ruben Gaines and includes 17 paintings by C. Rusty Heurlin valued at more than $1 million.
101 College Road Fairbanks, AK Open Wed-Sat 11-6 Roxy (907) 750-1029
Shows are at 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m., 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. in the theater. Admission is $4 for adults, $2 for children age 6-16. Children under age 6 get in for free.
Kitty Hensley House
The Pioneers of Alaska also operate the Kitty Hensley House, which was originally located at 921 Eighth Ave. In 1914, Kitty’s friend Cap Smythe, a retired riverboat captain with excellent carpentry skills, remodeled the cabin using lumber from the sternwheeler, which had been damaged during spring breakup. The house was moved to Pioneer Park in 1967. The Pioneers of Alaska have furnished the house with authentic pieces of furniture from the period.
The SS Nenana
Located in the center of Pioneer Park, the SS Nenana is the largest steam-powered wooden sternwheeler ever built west of the Mississippi River and one of three of its kind left in the U.S. Built in 1933 for the Alaska Railroad for service on the Yukon, Nenana and Tanana rivers, she could carry up to 300 tons of freight and carried military cargos during World War II, including lend-lease aircraft en route to Russia. The “Last Lady of the River” was retired in 1955 and brought to Fairbanks to be preserved. The SS Nenana was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1989, thanks to the efforts of the late John D. “Jack” Williams and other influential Fairbanksans who formed a foundation. The interior of the riverboat is closed to visitors.
Harding Car
Near the Pioneer Park front entrance rests the Harding Car, the elegant railroad car President Warren G. Harding traveled in while touring the territory just two weeks before he died in California from a heart attack. Harding was the first chief executive officer to visit the territory and came to Fairbanks to celebrate the completion of the Alaska Railroad. The Harding Car was restored by the Fairbanks Historical Preservation Foundation.
Wickersham House
Judge James Wickersham is known as the man who brought law and order to the early days of the gold rush town of Fairbanks, but there’s more to his story. In addition to being a law man, Wickersham was a carpenter, an advocate for the community and what would eventually become the 49th state, and a leader in a community that was growing in all directions. As a carpenter, Wickersham built the first “modern
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Operated by the Interior and Arctic Alaska Aeronautical Foundation, the 14,000-square-foot circular building with a gold dome is filled with artifacts and aircraft from Alaska’s early aviation history, most of which took place in Fairbanks and other parts of the Interior. The museum houses 14 aircraft as well as one of the largest piston engine displays ever assembled. A collection of more than 500 photographs chronicle early flight and the brave men and women who ventured into the unknown skies above Alaska. Displays range from the first flight in Fairbanks in 1913 to the present. Admission is $4 for adults and $8 for a family of four. Children younger than age 12 are free and must be accompanied by an adult. The museum is open from 10:30 a.m.-8 p.m. daily from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Tanana Valley Railroad Museum and Engine House
The railroad played a vital part when the gold rush ripped through Interior Alaska and a key component of that era now resides in Pioneer Park.
Stella’s Superstore II Dice Pawn Shop, Inc
(907)456-8690
(907)456-4600
Huge Selection of Native Art & Crafts 1402 Gillam • Off Airport Way
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Pioneer Air Museum
Steam engine No. 1, an 8.5-ton engine built in 1899 by H.K. Porter Locomotive Works of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was the first locomotive in the Yukon and Tanana river drainages. It arrived in Fairbanks in 1905. It is the oldest gold rush artifact in Interior Alaska. Friends of the Tanana Valley Railroad restored Old Engine No. 1 in 1999, and she is rolled out several times a summer to putt down the tracks circling Pioneer Park with at least two open cars full of visitors. On other days, the train pulled by a replica, Engine No. 67. When at rest, Engine No. 1 resides at the museum and engine house, operated by the all-volunteer Friends of the Tanana Valley Railroad. An operating speeder, Model T and velocipede also are on display, as are dioramas showing the former townsite of Chena and the railroad station as it looked in 1907 and 1923.
& You’re In A Special Place!
Step into the Gold Dome.... Interior & Arctic Alaska’s Aeronautical History. 16 Aircraft, 31 Engines, Memorabilia, Artifacts, Photos, Stories & More.
Open 10:30am-8pm
7 Days A Week May 15 - September 10 Admission: $4 Single, $8 Family|Children Under 12 FREE but must be accompanied by an adult
Go Online for Class Info
(907) 451-0037 • www.pioneerairmuseum.org
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home” in the thriving gold rush town in 1904. The first home constructed of milled lumber, the house on the corner of First Avenue and Noble Street also was the first home to be surrounded by a white picket fence. All homes in Fairbanks before that time were made with logs. He purchased the lot for $175 and built the house himself, hauling the lumber down the street on his back. Operated by the Tanana-Yukon Historical Society, the Wickersham House was relocated to Pioneer Park in 1968 and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. The furnishings are as they would have been in Wickersham’s time, with some original pieces.
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DINING AND THEATER WITH A TASTE OF THE LAST FRONTIER By Bob Eley For the News-Miner
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ou’ve taken in many of Interior Alaska’s sites and attractions, so now you are looking for a relaxed dinner and some light-hearted entertainment to wrap up the day. Make the Alaska Salmon Bake and the Palace Theatre in Pioneer Park the final stop of your adventure. Enjoy true Alaska cuisine surrounded by a park filled with historic buildings and antique mining equipment. After dinner enjoy an old-fashioned live performance at the Palace Theatre located in rustic gold rush town (Just a short walk from the Alaska Salmon Bake). The Salmon Bake offers all-you-care-to-eat fire grilled salmon, hand-dipped beer battered cod and slow roasted prime rib. Alaskan crab is available to add on to your dinner for an additional fee in half-pound, one-pound, and twopound sizes. It is not included with the all-you-care-to-eat dinner.
Each meal comes with a trip through the full salad bar with roasted potatoes, baked beans, sourdough rolls, dessert, coffee and non-alcoholic beverages included. Each entrée is $35.95 for adults, $14.95 for children ages 9-12 and $9.95 for children age 4-8. The salmon is caught in Alaska waters, cooked on an outdoor grill over a bed of black spruce coals while basting in a sweet sauce. The cod is from Alaska’s Bering Sea and hand-dipped in a special beer batter. The prime rib is dry-rubbed with the venue’s signature seasoning and slow cooked in an outdoor smoker. Dinner is served from 5 to 9 p.m., daily, from May 13 to Sept. 14. The Salmon Bake offers a shuttle service from many local hotels for $8 round-trip. Beer and wine are available for an additional cost. The venue offers plenty of indoor and outdoor seating.
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Palace Theatre
For after-dinner relaxation, you’ll find plenty of laughs and merriment at the Golden Heart Review in the Palace Theatre, located a short after-dinner stroll away from the Salmon Bake in Pioneer Park. Through original songs and light-hearted stories, the cast of “The Golden Heart Review” answers many commonly asked questions about Fairbanks such as “Why would anyone want to build a town in this swamp area, anyway?” and “Why has this unlikely little town survived for more than 100 years?” The Golden Heart Revue features music and lyrics by Fairbanks composer Jim Bell and anecdotes from a book by Timothy Ames, William Arnold, Richard Ussery and Steve Arthur. The professional, live performance at the Palace Theatre is at 8:15 every evening from May 14 to Sept. 8. Additional performances may be added later in the summer. The cost of the show is $24 for adults and $12 for children. To make reservations, call 1-800-354-7274. The Alaska Salmon Bake and Palace Theatre are familyowned businesses that have operated for more than 38 years. For more information, go to www.akvisit.com.
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TAKE A RIDE INTO ALASKA HISTORY ON RIVERBOAT DISCOVERY By Bob Eley For the News-Miner
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ternwheelers, floatplanes and dog mushing were once the main transportation systems in Interior Alaska. You can learn about all three modes of transportation and a whole lot more by taking a ride on one of Fairbanks’ most popular attractions – the Riverboat Discovery. The Binkley family has plied the rivers of the Interior for five generations spanning more than 100 years. Since the 1950s various versions of the Riverboat Discovery have taken visitors for a true Alaska river ride. The tour meanders down the Chena River, where passengers can watch a bush pilot take off and land in a small plane. The sternwheeler pauses at Trailbreaker Kennels, home of the family of late four-time Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race champion Susan Butcher, where you will learn about modern competitive mushing. Sled dogs were a vital form of winter transportation before the invention of snowmachines — or snowmobiles
What: Riverboat Discovery Cruise When: 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. daily from May 8-Sept. 21 Where: 1975 Riverboat Drive, Fairbanks Cost: $64.95 adults, $39.95 children, 3-12, free children 3 and younger. Phone: 479-6673 Online: www.riverboatdiscovery.com
as they are called in the Lower 48 — as residents of Alaska Native villages traveled and carried mail and freight from village to village. Continuing down the river, the Riverboat Discovery stops at a replica of an Interior Alaska Native village and fish camp. The tour stops for an hour at the village, where passengers get off the boat and take a guided tour. Village hosts relate stories about their history, culture and subsistence lifestyle. Tour a fish camp and learn techniques for catching, drying and storing salmon. You also have the chance to meet sled dogs, mushers and dog handlers during your stop at the village. On the return trip up the Chena River, you’ll get to taste the Binkleys’ salmon dip on a cracker as you enjoy the local scenery. Your tour begins at Steamboat Landing in west Fairbanks near Fairbanks International Airport. The landing is a replica of a gold rush river port, complete with a dining hall where a hearty miner’s stew, kale-apple-pecan salad and brownie is served for $11.95 for adults and $4.95 for children. The landing also features a gift shop, museum and ice cream parlor. If you want to feel what it’s like during an Alaska winter, you can participate in “Alaska at 40 Below,” a specially designed chamber that drops the mercury to mid-winter temperatures in Interior, Alaska. The experience is free, but it does cost $10 to get your picture taken. Tours can be booked for 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. each day from May 8-Sept. 21. The cost is $64.95 for adults and $39.95 for children age 3-12. Children under age 3 are admitted free. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 4796673 or online at www.riverboatdiscovery.com.
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GOLD DREDGE NO. 8 HAS THE SCOOP ON THE HISTORY OF LARGE-SCALE MINING For the News-Miner
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here are two kinds of gold found in Alaska, and both created stampedes to Interior Alaska and the Fairbanks area in particular. A trip to Gold Dredge No. 8 will give the visitor a chance to learn about both kinds. The first gold rush was for the mineral gold found in the rivers, streams and ponds dotting the Fairbanks area. That rush started in the early 1900s and in some form or another continued until almost the middle of the century. The second stampede came in the 1970s with the building of the trans-Alaska oil pipeline, which brings black gold (oil) from Prudhoe Bay through the Interior to the port city of Valdez. Located just seven miles north of Fairbanks in the beautiful Goldstream Valley, Gold Dredge No. 8 offers visitors the opportunity to learn about the gold seekers of yesteryear as well as the “black gold” flowing through the oil pipeline. Visitors will ride to the dredge site on a replica of the Tanana Valley Railroad that linked mining communities north of Fairbanks in the early gold mining days and have a chance to pan for gold and cash in on their findings. The tour also provides a close-up view of the trans-
What: Gold Dredge 8 When: 10:30 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. daily, May 8 to Sept. 21 Where: 1803 Old Steese Highway Cost: $39.95 for adults, $24.95 for children age 3-12, free for children age 3 and under; reservations required Phone: 907-479-6673 Online: www.golddredge8.com
Alaska oil pipeline. You’ll learn about construction and operation of the oil pipeline while standing in its shadow. Then board the replica of the narrow-gauge Tanana Valley Railroad and hear tales of the thousands of miners who swarmed the surrounding valley in the early 20th century searching for the big strike. Gold Dredge No. 8 is a National Historic Site, and the tour focuses on the history of small- and large-scale mining in the Interior. You’ll see firsthand how dredges in Alaska sifted the gold from the soil, recovering 3.5 million ounces of gold during the time they were in use. The two-hour tour allows visitors time to explore the dredge, the dredge camp and the gift shop to have their gold weighed before boarding the train for the ride back to the depot. Tours are available at 10:30 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. daily at the train depot near Goldstream Road and the Old Steese Highway. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 907479-6673 or online at www.golddredge8.com. The cost is $39.95 for adults and $24.95 for children age 3-12. Infants younger than 3 get in free.
www.newsminer.com
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EXPERIENCE HISTORY, SCIENCE, ART AT UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA MUSEUM OF THE NORTH Staff Report newsroom@newsminer.com
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he University of Alaska Museum of the North is a peek into the past while simultaneously being a window into the future. It’s an excellent source of Alaska history as well as a look into the university’s robust research fields. The museum serves as home to more than 1.5 million artifacts and specimens separated into 10 disciplines: archaeology, birds, documentary film, earth sciences, ethnology/history, fine arts, fishes/marine invertebrates, insects, mammals and plants. The museum also features a series of permanent and seasonal exhibits. Visitors are able to view a 2,000-year spectrum of Alaska art in the Rose Berry Art Gallery upstairs as well as journey through Alaska’s cultural, economic and industrial history in the Gallery of Alaska on the first floor. In the Gallery of Alaska, visitors can find Blue Babe, a 36,000-year-old mummified steppe bison as well as a towering mounted grizzly bear positioned at the front of the gallery. The bear has become the museum’s unofficial mascot and can be found on social media under the hashtag #OttoBear.
Lunch 11-4
✦
Dinner 5-10
456-2200
388 Old Chena Pump Road, 99709
Eat Good ✦ Live Good www.LemongrassAlaska.com
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“Combine authentic Northern Thai recipe with seasonal Alaskan ingredients from the farm and sea.”
What: University of Alaska Museum of the North When: Summer hours June 1-Aug. 31, open daily 9 a.m - 7 p.m. Where: 1962 Yukon Drive, Fairbanks, Alaska Cost: $14 for ages 15 and up, $8 for ages 5-14, free for UA students with a valid student ID, UA museum members and for active-duty military families stationed in Alaska. Contact: 474-7505. Follow the museum on Facebook at www.facebook.com/alaskamuseum, on Twitter at www. twitter.com/
Guests are also able to explore the technological connection between real-time seismic activity, the position of the sun and moon and the aurora borealis in The Place Where You Go to Listen, a light and sound simulation exhibit. This summer, the museum will feature a special exhibit titled “Decolonizing Alaska,” consisting of works by 30 contemporary artists exploring and responding to Alaska’s history of colonization. “Artists move beyond stereotypical ideas to inspire conversation around self-definition and express ideas about identity separate from those that permeate popular culture,” the exhibit description reads. This exhibit will run until September 2018. The museum also shows a series of movies on daily. Current movies include “Dynamic Aurora,”“Extreme Weather” and “Sea Monsters.” Movie tickets are $5 per person.
VISITUS to experience Alaska Native cultures, discover natural wonders, and explore the state’s diverse wildlife.
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2,000 YEARS OF ALASKA ART • ORIGINAL MOVIES • MUSEUM STORE
Summer Hours: 9 AM – 7 PM Daily Winter Hours: 9 AM – 5 PM Monday – Saturday 1962 Yukon Drive • Fairbanks, AK 99775 • www.uaf.edu/museum • 907.474.7505
UA is an AA/EO employer and educational institution and prohibits illegal discrimination against any individual: www.alaska.edu/titleIXcompliance/nondiscrimination.
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ICE AGE SURVIVORS THRIVE AT UAF RESEARCH CENTER
Staff Report newsroom@newsminer.com
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laska’s northern climate is homes to a large collection of unique wildlife. Among those is the musk
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SOURDOUGH CAFE — American Cuisine featuring — Sourdough Pancakes & Reindeer Sausage Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner
(907) 479-0523 F24529662
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ox, a large shaggy mammal that has resided in Alaska and surrounding area since the last ice age. One place you can see musk ox up close and learn more about the mysterious animal is the Large Animal Research Station run by the University of Alaska Fairbanks. The Robert G. White Large Animal Research Station is located at 2220 Yankovich Road. It is home to three herds of large herbivorous land mammals — caribou, reindeer and musk oxen. The animals are part of long-term studies in Arctic biology and nutrition, among other fields. Musk oxen once roamed throughout the northern region of North America but were forced out of Alaska more than a century ago due to climatic and environmental changes. They were transplanted back into the region from Greenland in the 1930s. Now they roam widely on Alaska’s North Slope, Seward Peninsula and in southwest Alaska. The research center is open Monday through Sunday 9:30 a.m to 4:30 p.m May 29 to Sept. 3. LARS offers musk ox and reindeer viewings and naturalist presentations throughout the summer. A trained naturalist is on staff to answer questions about the animals, and 45-minute naturalist presentations occur at 10 a.m., 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. daily, Wednesday through Sunday from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Hour-long tours are offered every two hours to give animals sufficient rest time and cost $10 for adults, $9 for senior/military, $6 for students and children 5 and under are free. Special tours can also be arranged. Naturalist presentations last about 45 minutes to an hour. In addition to seeing the animals, visitors will learn about natural history and ecology and will be able to feel hide, horn, and antler samples. Naturalists also discuss the research taking place at LARS. Even when the station is closed or not offering tours, visitors can stop by the station to see the animals from beyond the fence. The station’s parking lot is always open, and station staff say animals can often be seen going about their way along the fence line. A picnic area is open from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday from June through August. The annual open house/birthday bash will be June 2nd 12 to 4 pm. This is a free event that is open to the public. LARS has a gift shop onsite where visitors can purchase qiviut, the under-wool of the musk ox. The shop sells qiviut samples, raw qiviut to process and spin, as well as qiviut yarn from LARS musk oxen and garments that have been knit from qiviut. For more information, visit www.muskoxuaf.org.
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BOTANICAL GARDENS AN EXPLOSION OF COLOR, LIFE Staff Report newsroom@newsminer.com What: Georgeson Botanical Garden When: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. June 1 to Labor Day Where: 117 West Tanana Drive, UAF Cost: Suggested donation of $5 per person. Phone: (907) 474-7222 Online: www.georgesonbotanicalgarden.org
Service meteorologist Ted Fathauer, who died in 2013. The garden features a sundial and rain gauge, among other weather-related items. The garden is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. June 1 through Labor Day. Admission is a suggested $5 per person. Pets aren’t allowed in the garden, and tree-climbing is not allowed. For more information about the botanical garden, go to www.georgesonbotanicalgarden.org.
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laska has one of the shortest growing seasons in the world, lasting an average of only three months. That doesn’t stop Fairbanks from being home to some of the most beautiful seasonal and perennial flowers and vegetables, however. Many of them can be found in the Georgeson Botanical Garden at the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus. The northernmost public garden in North America is a scenic spot to view flowers, perennials and even some of the state’s well-known veggies. Visitors can explore the garden through a self-guided tour, using brochures and signs posted throughout the garden. Guided tours are also available at 2 p.m every Friday beginning June 1 and ending the first day of snow. The area includes a gorgeous view of the Alaska Range, with Denali visible on a clear day. A children’s garden includes a maze, a miniature log cabin and a water garden. Benches, bird baths and sculptures accentuate the scenery. The century-old garden, named after former Alaska Agriculture Experiment Stations director Charles Georgeson, is more than just a spot for a scenic summer walk. It’s a hub for high-latitude plant science, serving as a 3-acre laboratory for growing beneath the midnight sun in Interior Alaska’s short summers. A pair of memorial gardens are dedicated to longtime supporters of the botanical garden. The Earl and Dorothy Beistline Garden, named in honor of the late Fairbanks residents, is planted with delphiniums in honor of the couple. Earl, an influential Alaska miner, died in 2012 at age 96. A “weather garden” honors longtime National Weather
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EXPLORE THE LAST FRONTIER ON THE ALASKA RAILROAD Staff Report newsroom@newsminer.com
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he Alaska Railroad offers a unique vantage point for visitors to the Last Frontier, providing both industrial muscle and a relaxing way to see the vast state. For more than a century, Alaska has relied on rail to transport goods and people across the vast state, and that has evolved into one of the most popular ways for tourists to travel the hundreds of miles between Seward and Fairbanks. The Alaska Railroad’s significant role is at least partly due to limited infrastructure. About a third of Alaska’s public roads are unpaved, according to the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities. With 656 miles to cover, the railroad offers six separate passenger trains and a large variety of runs. Regular season pricing runs from June 1 through Aug. 31, while small discounts are offered May 12-31 and Sept. 1-16. The railroad is not just a busy passenger service giving almost 500,000 annual riders a leisurely look at some
otherwise inaccessible scenery, however. It is also a critical infrastructure hub in the state. The railroad hauled nearly 3.7 million tons of freight in 2016, including 1.9 million tons of gravel. One of the most popular passenger trains is the Denali Star, a daily summer service between Anchorage and Fairbanks, with stops at Talkeetna and Denali National Park and Preserve. The Aurora Winter Train provides a winter weekend service between Anchorage and Fairbanks from mid-September through mid-May. Other summer passenger trains include the Coastal Classic, daily service between Anchorage and Seward, which is increasing in popularity every year; the Glacier Discovery, daily summer service from Anchorage to Whittier with whistle-stops at Spencer Glacier and Grandview; and Hurricane Turn, a Thursday through Monday service between Talkeetna and Hurricane with several stops in between. The railroad has a passenger service fleet of dozens of railcars, including passenger coaches and dining cars. It
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also features a variety of cars specifically for enjoying scenery along the route; including glass-domed GoldStar cars with a viewing platform and reclining seats; Vista Dome Coaches, with reclining seats beneath a dome in the middle offering 360-degree views and low-level dome coaches have seats arranged around tables, a small galley and service bars. The railroad also offers vacation packages, running from two days to 10 days. Offerings include glacier cruises, a rails and trails package featuring backcountry hikes, and a basic tour featuring stops in Anchorage, Talkeetna and Denali. Last year the railroad began booking zip lining and kayaking excursions. The zip lining is available to passengers of the Denali Star. Kayaking is available to passengers of the Glacier Discovery. Information about the Alaska Railroad’s various passenger and vacation plans is available online at www.alaskarailroad.com.
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Worship Directory – Visitors are always welcome! Bethel Church
www.bethelchurchak.org • 479-4380 Bible Teaching Church with Contemporary Worship 1310 Farmers Loop Rd. Worship: Sunday 9:15 a.m. & 11:00 a.m. Sunday School - all ages: 11:00 a.m.
Bible Baptist Church
452-1407 32 Adak Ave. Off the Steese Highway at College Road E. Sun 8:30 a.m., 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 6 p.m. & Wed 7 p.m. Bible believing — Old fashioned singing Plenty of parking for RV’s Free transportation from motels & campgrounds www.BibleBaptistFairbanks.com Doug Duffett, Pastor 388-9815 cell
Christian Science Church
811 First Avenue 456-2319 Sunday: 11:00 a.m., and Wednesday: 7:00 p.m.
Church of Christ
645 11th Avenue 456-4921 Sunday 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m. & 6:00 p.m. Wednesday 6:30 p.m.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Fairbanks: 770 Gradelle Ave. - 11 a.m.
403 Lazelle Rd. and 1500 Cowles St. - 9 a.m., 11 a.m. & 1 p.m.
Hamilton Acres Baptist Church
138 Farewell Avenue Independent Sunday 9:45 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 6:00 p.m.; Wednesday 7:00 p.m. Pastor Bruce Hamilton 378-9103
Immaculate Conception Church
2 Doyon Place 452-3533 Mass: Sat. 5:30 p.m., Sun. 7:30 a.m. & 10:00 a.m. Weekday Masses (Mon. through Fri.): 12:10 p.m.
Jewish Congregation of Fairbanks
1744 Aurora Drive 456-1002 Friday: 7:30 p.m. • orhatzafon@mosquitonet.com
Mount Pleasant Baptist Church
3030 Peger Road 374-6055 Sunday Bible Study 9:30 a.m.; Sunday Service 11:00 a.m. Wednesday Night Bible Study 7:00-8:30 p.m.
Sacred Heart Cathedral
1300 Peger Rd. 474-9032 email: shcparishoffice@gmail.com Weekend Masses: Sat. 4:30 p.m., Sun. 11:00 a.m. Spanish Mass: 1:00 p.m. on Sunday Monday - Friday Masses: Call the Parish office for schedule
St. Mark’s University Catholic Church
UAF Campus 474-6776 uaf.stmark@gmail.com Sunday Mass: 5:30 p.m. Held in the Margaret Murie Life Science Bldg Auditorium on UAF campus
St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church
1029 First Avenue 456-5235 Sunday Services: 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
North Pole: 403 E. 8th Ave - 9 a.m., 11 a.m. & 1 p.m.
Salcha: 9207 Richardson Hwy. - 10 a.m. Delta Junction: 2378 Deborah St. - 10 a.m. Denali/Healy: Cinnabar & Sulfide Way - 10 a.m. Nenana: 703 N. A St. - 12 p.m.
Community Covenant Church - C3 2136 McCullam Avenue (on Airport Way) www.c3fairbanks.com • 456-6553 • Sunday: 10:30 a.m.
Denali Bible Chapel 1201 Lathrop Street 456-5157 Service: 10:30 a.m. www.DenaliBibleChapel.org
Fairbanks First United Methodist Church 915 Second Avenue 452-2956 Sunday: 9:00 a.m. Traditional • 11:15 a.m. Contemporary www.fairbanksfirst.org • office@fairbanksfirst.org
Fairbanks Lutheran Church 1012 Cowles Street (ELCA) 452-3425 Summer worship time: 9:30 a.m. www.fairbankslutheranchurch.org / fairluth@gci.net Facebook: FairbanksLutheranELCA
Fairbanks Seventh-day Adventist Church 1811 Farmers Loop Road 479-6070 Sabbath School: 9:30 a.m., Worship Service: 11:00 a.m. www.fairbanksak.adventistchurch.org
First Baptist Church of Fairbanks 805 Sixth Avenue - Downtown 456-4923 Sunday Morning: 11:00 a.m. www.firstbaptistfairbanks.com
Friends Church 1485 30th Avenue 452-2249 www.friendschurch.org or facebook.com/friendschurchfairbanks/
St. Paul Church
Independent Traditional Methodist Worship Sunday School: 10 a.m. Worship: 11 a.m. 907 Union Dr., by Dog Mushers 479-7998 A Friendly Little Country Church
St. Raphael Catholic Church
1125 Old Steese Hwy. North 457-6603 Mass: Saturday 6:00 p.m. & Sunday 9:30 a.m. Tuesday 9:30 a.m., Wednesday 5:30 p.m.
University Community Presbyterian Church
3510 College Road 479-6728 Sunday Worship Service: 10:30 a.m. www.ucpcfairbanks.org
Zion Lutheran Church (LCMS)
2982 Davis Road www.zionfairbanks.org 456-7660 Worship Services: Saturday 5:00 p.m.; Sunday 8:30 a.m. & 11:00 a.m 9:45 a.m. Sunday School/Bible Studies for ALL ages!
HEALY/DENALI AREA Holy Mary of Guadalupe - Catholic Church
Sunday 10:00 a.m. at church in Healy 683-2525 Saturday Night Mass 6:00 p.m. at Denali Bus Depot Theatre (1 mi. Denali Park Rd.)
NORTH POLE AREA New Jerusalem C.O.G.I.C.
2515 Mission Road, North Pole 488-7320 www.njcogic.org email: newjerusalemchurch@acsalaska.net Sunday Worship: 11:30 a.m., Wednesday Bible Study: 7:30 p.m.
True Victory Baptist Church
2141 Richardson Highway 488-1588 Sunday School: 9:30 a.m., Worship Service: 11:00 a.m. Wednesday Night Bible Study: 7:00 p.m.
NOTE: All Alaska phone numbers are area code 907
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A WORLD OF CULTURE, ALL SUMMER LONG By Gary Black gblack@newsminer.com
matinees are at 2 p.m. See www.fairbanksshakespeare.org for ticket information.
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Opera Fairbanks
Opera Fairbanks is the farthest-north professional opera company in the United States. Since its inception in 2005, it has developed a reputation for putting on world-class performances, many of which draw guest artists from around the globe. Past performances have featured such classics as “Carmen,”“Hansel and Gretel,”“Amahl and the Night Visitors,”“Rumpelstiltskin,”“The Italian Girl in Algiers” and “La Boheme.” This summer, the company is producing “Pagliacci,” conducted by Gregory Buchalter of New York City’s Metropolitan Opera. Performances are 7 p.m. July 13 and 2 p.m. July 15 at Hering Auditorium, 901 Airport Way. See www.operafairbanks.org for ticket information.
Fairbanks Shakespeare Theatre
Fairbanks Shakespeare Theatre was founded on the banks of the Chena River in 1992 and has grown into a year-round production company. Each summer, the troupe performs a summer outdoors production at Jack Townshend Point on the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus. This summer, the theater is producing “The Merry Wives of Windsor.” Dates are July 5-22, Thursdays through Sundays. Evening performances are at 7:30 p.m., and MUSIC • VISUAL ARTS • HEALING ARTS • CULINARY • THEATRE • LITERARY ARTS • DANCE
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The Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival is a two-week event that spans every facet of the cultural arts — song, theater, improv, dance, music, spoken word, culinary, healing arts, writing and more. Local artists and instructors as well as guest artists from across the world come to Fairbanks to teach classes and host performances at venues throughout the city. Residents and visitors are encouraged to sign up for classes, which can be found on the festival’s website, www. fsaf.org. The site also lists performances that take place across Fairbanks, many of which are free to attend. The festival started in 1980 as a one-week jazz festival. Sinal Park and Preserve as well as in other Alaska communities. The festival is one of the premier arts events during the summer and runs July 15-29.
Live music
The Fairbanks area is rich in live music, with many bands and performers playing public gigs in Golden Heart Plaza in downtown Fairbanks or under the gazebo in Pioneer Park. Many local pubs host touring bands as well as local musicians all summer long. You can find a weekly listing each Thursday of art, entertainment and music events in Latitude 65, the weekly entertainment section produced by the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.
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he arts world thrives in Fairbanks, and summer offers its share of performances, concerts and events to fill your cultural need while in Interior Alaska. Many of the productions feature local performers as well as guest artists who travel to Interior Alaska for a chance to perform on our stages. Here’s a look at some of the biggest arts events of this summer.
Come join the fun at the
Tanana Valley State Fair! August 3 – 11, 2018
Rodeo, Entertainment, A-1 Midway Rides with new rides for the whole Family! Visit all your favorite vendors – new and old! Enjoy the exhibit halls, see what the community has made. 4-H/FFA Livestock and Equine areas open to all. Come and volunteer and become part of the Fair Family. Contact the Fair at 907-452-3750. Non-Perishable Entry day - July 28 Junior Perishable Day - August 2 Adult Perishable entry - August 7
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TANANA VALLEY STATE FAIR IS 10 DAYS OF FUN, FOOD
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he Tanana Valley State Fair is a much-loved Interior Alaska event that draws about 100,000 visitors from near and far each year. The fair was founded in 1924 and is the oldest of the three state fairs in Alaska. In its long history, it has been shuttered only twice — once during the World War II years and once in 1967 after a rising Chena River flooded a large portion of Fairbanks. The 2018 fair runs from Aug. 3 to Aug. 11 at the fairgrounds at 1800 College Road. Eating is a popular activity at the fair, and many visitors carefully plan which food booths they’ll visit to ensure they get all of their favorites. Fairgoers can power graze on everything from burgers to burritos, corn dogs to crepes and pitas to pizza. A visit to the beer garden, an ice cold soda or a creamy milkshake help wash it all down. Between noshes, visitors can enjoy carnival rides, get their fortunes told or dress up in period costume for a keepsake photo. Games of chance and skill abound on the I N G O B I N G O B
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midway, and several exhibit halls are filled with submitted items such as arts and crafts, baked goods and quilts. The agricultural hall is always a big draw, and visitors flock there to see vegetables grown to giant size under the midnight sun. Animal lovers can get their fill of goats, pigs, cows, horses and fowl of all shapes and sizes with a visit to the livestock hall. The theme of the fair this year is “May The Fair Be With You,” and the official 2018 fair colors are red, green and blue. The flower representing this year’s fair is the star lily. Visitors can expect lots of local entertainment, kids’ activities, a rodeo and other attractions. Adults and kids alike are encouraged to enter their livestock, produce, baked goods, craft items, and other creative handiworks for their chance to win a ribbon and support the community fair. Entry day for nonperishable exhibits is July 28. Junior perishable entry day is Aug. 2, and adult perishable entry day is Aug. 7. More information, including ticket prices and daily pricing specials and themes, can be found online at www. tananavalleyfair.org or by calling 452-3750.
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WORLD ESKIMO-INDIAN OLYMPICS HONOR THE ELDERS By Danny Martin dmartin@newsminer.com
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definition of elder from the online version of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary states, “… one having authority by virtue of age and experience.’’ The definition also applies to the theme for the 58th edition of the World Eskimo-Indian Olympics — “A Celebration of Our Elders.” The impact of elders is seemingly immeasurable in regards to the annual celebration of Alaska Native culture and games. WEIO is scheduled for July 18-21 at the Carlson Center, and the complete schedule is available on its website (www.weio.org). According to the WEIO website, its board of governors will be working with Denakkanaaga Inc., to “make this a special experience for the elders who teach and support us throughout the year.” Denakkanaaga is a nonprofit organization that serves as the voice for Native elders in the Doyon, Limited and Tanana Chiefs Conference regions of the Interior. Denakkanaaga is a Koyukon Athabascan word that means “our people speak.” One highlight of WEIO is that during the opening ceremonies, the male and female winners of the 5-kilometer Run for the Torch bring the torch together into the Carlson Center and hand it to an Alaska Native elder for the lighting ceremony. The games of WEIO are based on traditional survival skills. The ear pull, a tug-of-war of ears and one of the most popular events, is based on enduring frostbite during harsh winters in the North. The Eskimo stick pull, another popular event, tests a person’s strength and mimics pulling a seal from a hole in the ice. The best-of-three contest involves two competitors trying to wrest a stick from one another as they sit facing each other with their knees bent, feet together and hands clenching a long wooden stick. WEIO attracts visitors from around the nation and world and dance groups and competitors from throughout Alaska. Athletes from Canada and Greenland also have participated. WEIO has drawn attention from national media, as it’s been featured in People and Cosmopolitan magazines and in USA Today. It’s enjoyed exposure on television programs such as ABC’s “Good Morning America,” ESPN’s “SportsCenter,” and NBC’s “Tonight Show,” when Jay Leno was its host. WEIO veteran athlete Nick Hanson, of Unalakleet, is a former finalist on NBC’s “American Ninja Warrior.”
Two inductions in the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame in Anchorage are related to WEIO. WEIO was inducted in the events category in 2008. Nicole Johnston, who grew up in Nome and has been involved with WEIO, as an athlete, coach, administrator and chairwoman of its board of governors, was inducted in the individual category in 2017. The American Bus Association in 2009 and 2015 chose WEIO as one of its Top 100 Events in North America for group travel.
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THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF INTERIOR ALASKA By Amanda Bohman abohman@newsminer.com
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he Athabascan people of the Upper Tanana River have a story about the first birch bark canoe. A man “with great knowledge was traveling and visiting among the people, animals and birds,” wrote Alice Brean in “Athabascan Stories.”The man carefully chose strong spruce poles for the frame and ribs of the canoe. Next he needed to make a cover. He chose different kinds of tree bark and tested each one, starting with spruce bark, which floated a few feet and sank. The same fate met the bark from alder, cottonwood and willow. Only one piece of bark was left to try. It was bark from white birch. Finally, the bark floated and the man spent most of a day gathering enough birch bark to cover his canoe. For the Athabascan people, who have inhabited Interior Alaska for at least 6,000 years, the birch bark canoe was tantamount to today’s pickup truck. Birch bark canoes helped Athabascans survive in some of the harshest conditions on Earth. The story of the birch bark canoe and many more stories aimed at sharing traditional knowledge have been passed down through generations of the Athabascan people, who make up the largest group of indigenous people in North America, according to the Alaska Native Knowledge Network. About 800 to 1,000 years ago, Athabascans migrated from Alaska into Canada and as far south as Arizona and New Mexico, but the most ancient core group of Athabascan people lived in Alaska, according to Ben Potter, anthropologist at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. “It is clear that the center of Athabascan culture developed here in our region,” he said. While they are historically a nomadic people, modern-day Athabascans have formed permanent settlements, mostly along rivers, all over the Interior of Alaska. About 12,000 Athabascans live in Alaska, according to the Arctic Athabaskan Council, based in Whitehorse, Yukon. The word Athabascan comes from the Canadian Cree name for Lake Athabasca. The lake is located in the northwest corner of Saskatchewan and the northeast corner of Alberta. In Cree, “Athabasca” means “grass here and there” and describes the lake. For some, the preferred term for Athabascans is “Dene,” which is derived from an Athabascan word meaning “people.” Alaska Athabascans are divided into 11 major linguistic groups whose way of life is similar. William Simeone, author of “A History of Alaskan Athapaskans,” wrote that the Gwich’in, the northern-most group of Athabascans, are the most cohesive of all Alaskan Athabascans.
The other linguistic groups are the Tanaina, Ingalik, Holikachuk, Koyukon, Han, Ahtna, Tanacross, Upper Tanana, Tutchone and Kolchan. The Athabascan people — and there are several ways to spell the name of the people — use more words for describing the natural world than are found in the English language. For example, the Tanaina have at least 15 words for rivers and streams, wrote Richard Nelson, anthropologist and author of “The Athabaskans: People of the Boreal Forest.” Nelson spent more than a year living among the Koyukon Athabascans and wrote that they have more than 50 terms for the basic parts of the moose. They also have 16 terms for the parts of a day, depending on the amount of light and positions of the celestial bodies. Historically, Athabascan people belonged to small local groups or bands—as small as 25 people or as large as 200. The bands would split into smaller groups during the winter months. Most Athabascans trace their descent through maternal lines. “Wealth, which was acquired through diligence and skill, determined leadership,” Simeone wrote in “A History of Alaskan Athapaskans.”“The local band formed around a strong leader who was frequently the wealthiest man.” The type of power wielded by the chief varied among the Athabascan groups, he wrote. Leadership councils also played a major role as they do today. Athabascans are expert at hunting, trapping, fishing and gathering, though today their economies are supplemented with goods from community stores. While the Athabascan people wander less than in the old days, their subsistence habits have not changed much, according to anthropologists. Nelson wrote that fish are one of the most important sources of food. Athabascans have developed elaborate traps for catching them. “They exist in a wide variety of types and sizes, but all of them funnel the fish into an enclosure from which they cannot escape,” Nelson wrote. They also use fish wheels, hook-and-line, dip netting, spearing and gaffing. Fall is the busiest hunting season, when moose congregate near water, caribou begin migrating and bears prepare to enter their dens. And winter is a time for trapping, including for beaver and muskrat. Athabascan knowledge of the weather, the landscape and animal behavior has been key to their survival. Traditional Athabascans believe humans and nature are bound closely together. “Many Athabaskans feel a special kinship with the living things around them, remembering that animals and plants were essentially human in the ancient world,” Nelson wrote.
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GUIDED TOURS TAKE YOU SAFELY OFF THE BEATEN PATH By Robin Wood rwood@newsminer.com
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big part of Fairbanks’ appeal is the immense expanse of wilderness. The same appeal also creates logistical challenges when trying to get off the beaten path, as road access is limited and travel off road is often slow. While the majority of Interior Alaska’s summer tours are centered around Denali National Park and Preserve, venturing into the less-visited solitude can be just as rewarding an experience.
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All-terrain vehicles, bus, plane and boat tours are all options to find your own slice of wilderness. You can hop behind the wheel of your own ATV for a 32-mile ride east of Fairbanks along the Mike Kelly Trail near Two Rivers. Midnight Sun ATV Tours leads daily adventures with up to 14 people on seven machines. The trail riding lasts about three hours, with an hour for travel each direction. Owner Rick Port, who started the company four years ago, said there’s almost always room for last-minute walkins. Port’s storefront is located in Pioneer Park Cabin No. 26. Visit the website at midnightsunatvtours.com or call 907978-3331. Outside Denali, Denali ATV Adventures offers four guided tour options in ATVs and side-by-sides from May 18 to Sept. 9. Small groups leave throughout the day. No experience Info: https://www.denaliatv.com/ Black Diamond Resort in Healy offers a range of tours, including ATV tours and horse-drawn wagon tours. Info: https://www.blackdiamondtourco.com/ Mt. Aurora Skiland, unsurprisingly best known for winter skiing and aurora viewing, will join the summer ATV scene for the first time this summer. ATV and horseback tours are also available at Chena Hot Springs Resort through the resort. Advanced reservations for these are not accepted, and booking can only be done
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PICNIC, CANOE, FLOAT OR WALK AT CHENA LAKE REC AREA Staff Report
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hena Lake Recreation Area is a popular local spot for fishing, barbecues and walks. It’s really two parks in one: a riverside area along the Chena River and a recreation area along the shores of Chena Lake. Both offer amenities including camping sites, picnic tables, volleyball courts, horseshoe pits and water access. The recreation area contains 2,100 acres and is managed by the local government. The Chena Lake beach is especially popular in the summer when Interior Alaska temperatures can climb into the 80s. During the summer, the Fairbanks North Star Borough Parks and Recreation Department rents canoes, kayaks, paddle boats, rowboats and stand up paddleboards at Chena Lake. The lake is next to the Moose Creek Dam, part of the Chena River Lakes Flood Control Project completed in 1979 to protect the area after a 1967 flood destroyed much of downtown Fairbanks and displaced 7,000 people. At high
in person. For those wanting to cover a lot of ground and travel to the Arctic Circle or beyond, Northern Alaska Tour Co. offers single and multi-day trips. Tours can be ground, air or a combination of the two, often dictated by how much time the tourist has. Marketing coordinator Kathy Hedges said the most popular is probably the split drive-and-fly tour because “it really mixes it up.” Day tours last about 13 hours and travel north of the Arctic Circle, while three-day tours can take you all the way to Arctic Ocean. Northern Alaska Tour Co. also teams up with local guides in Anaktuvuk Pass, Fort Yukon, Beaver and Utqiagvik to teach about Alaska Native culture. Trips in the Denali area and winter trips are also available. Tours do book far in advance, and availability can be limited. “A lot of times we’ll still have something available a week before the tour date, but it may not be their first choice,” Hedges said. The end of August and September have become increasingly popular because of the combination of fall weather and the possibility of seeing northern lights, according to Hedges. For those on a time or budget crunch, multiple options are available to get a little flavor of Fairbanks. Rivers Edge Resort or Airlink Shuttles and Tours offer similar bus tours. Rivers Edge Resort has more stops downtown, but both
What: Chena Lake Recreation Area Location: 3780 Laurance Road, look for signs on the Richardson Highway, south of the town of North Pole Camping: $15 a night for tents, $20 a night for campers/trailers Boat rentals: $10 per hour or $40 per day Online: bit.ly/1SgmCHh
water levels, flood gates on the Chena drop and divert water into the larger Tanana River. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game stocks Chena Lake with rainbow trout, king salmon and Arctic char. The park rents boats in the summer and ice fishing houses in the winter. Arctic grayling, northern pike, whitefish and burbot swim through the Chena River. Wildlife sightings are common. In July and August, visitors can watch spawning chum and king salmon from the dam.
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FIVE FAIRBANKS-AREA HIKING TRAILS FROM EASY TO GRUELING By Sam Friedman sfriedman@newsminer.com
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he Fairbanks area offers hiking opportunities from in-town nature walks to long ambitious treks. Here is a sampling of popular hikes in order of length and difficulty. 1. Creamer’s Field trails: Located near downtown, the Creamer’s Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge is a former dairy farm that’s the place to go to see sandhill cranes, geese, ducks and other birds during the migratory season in May and August. There are two short trails that showcase different habitats: the 1.6-mile Farm Road Trail and the 2-mile Boreal Forest Trail. There’s also a wheelchair loop. Along the trail are observation towers for getting a better view of the birds. Access: The trails start behind the old barn, behind the Alaska Department of Fish and Game office at 1300 College Road. 2. University of Alaska Fairbanks trails: An extensive network of cross-country ski and hiking trails leads down from the West Ridge area of the University of Alaska Fairbanks. The wide trails are good for hiking or biking and include some moderate hills. The trails also feature one of the two disc golf courses in Fairbanks. The other is at Birch Hill on the east side of Fairbanks, which is also a good place to walk. In the summer, avoid trails marked “winter trail” such as the Estle Connecter. These are nice ski trails in the winter, but are extremely swampy in the summer. Access: The main access point is the ski hut at the Uni-
3) Angel Rocks: Rock outcropping visible from the road jut out of the ridgeline near Mile 49 Chena Hot Springs Road. These are the Angel Rocks, the destination of probably the most popular day hikes in the Fairbanks area. The rocks are accessed by a 3.7 mile trail that follows the Chena River for about three-quarters of a mile before climbing steadily up. As with the other trails outside town, be prepared for bear encounters. More ambitious hikers can continue past the the Angel Rocks on an 8.7 mile (one-way) trail that ends at Chena Hot Springs Resort. This trail can be easy to lose, so bring a map or someone who knows the way. Access: The trailhead is about an hour from downtown Fairbanks at Mile 49.5 Chena Hot Springs Road. Bring $5 for the day use parking fee for Alaska State Parks.
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FAIRBANKS REGION
4) Wickersham Dome: For a commanding view in the White Mountains National Recreation Area, climb up Wickersham Dome, a 6.5 mile round trip hike north of Fairbanks. The dome is named for James Wickersham, a founding father of Fairbanks who was the first federal judge here. The trail leads straight up out of the parking lot, quickly taking hikers into alpine country, before dropping into a saddle and steadily climbing again toward the top of the dome, which is topped by communication towers and rock outcroppings. The trail proper continues past the dome for about 20 miles to Beaver Creek, but several social trails lead left to a broad summit area. Hikers with more time can continue on the trail. Another destination beyond the summit is the trail shelter 8 miles from the trailhead. Access: The trailhead is about an hour from downtown Fairbanks. Park at the Wickersham Dome trailhead on the right side of the Elliott Highway at 28 mile. 5) Mount Prindle: The rocky ridgeline that leads to the summit of Mount Prindle dwarf those at Angel Rocks and Granite Tors. It’s an impressive sight but it takes wet feet and a bit of route finding to get there. Bring a map. There are social trails along the route, but no well-established
trail or signage. It’s also a long day hike. The hike is about 19 miles round trip to and from the summit. Turning around at a false summit cuts out about two miles and a steep downhill and uphill. From the Mount Prindle campground, hikers immediately cross the icy cold Nome Creek twice before slowly making their way up the Nome Creek Valley. It’s a good idea to bring a pair of sandals or old running shoes for the first six miles or so along often-flooded social trails. Bring boots or sturdy trail runners for rock hopping along the ridgeline later in the hike. At the top of the valley, hikers gain the ridge and follow it over broad alpine passes, lichen covered boulders and past massive rock outcroppings. Look out for Dall sheep, they’re often spotted in this area. Access: Like the previous hike, Mount Prindle is in the White Mountains National Recreation Area, but this hike accesses the area from a different side. The trailhead is about 1 1/2 hours from Fairbanks. Turn left at U.S. Creek Road at 57.1 mile of the Steese Highway. At the “T” intersection, follow the signs right to the Mount Prindle campground. The route begins by crossing Nome Creek on the northeast side of the campground.
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PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES TO GET YOUR RUN IN By Terrence Holmes For the News-Miner
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articipating in a running event is high on many people’s to-do list when it comes to summer outdoor activities in the Fairbanks area. Activities run the gamut from weekly training events to casual 5-kilometer (3.1 miles) races to 10Ks to half marathons (13.1miles) to the challenging Equinox Marathon. On Tuesdays from May 2 to Aug. 29, Running Club North sponsors men’s and women’s interval training at West Valley High School at 3800 Geist Road. The women’s group training goes from 5:30-6 p.m., and the men train from 6-6:30 p.m. People of all abilities are welcome to join. Bruce Miller coordinates the training sessions. Contact him at 479-5585. The weekly beer runs conducted by the HooDoo Brewery and Goldstream Sports offer runners and walkers a fitness opportunity to complete at their own pace. Participants meet at 6 p.m. at the HooDoo Brewery, 1951 Fox Ave., and the training sessions have distances of 1 to 3 miles.
Running Club North’s calendar and website (www. runningclubnorth.org) are great resources for information about more serious runs, such as The Annihilator at 11 a.m, May 19 in Nenana, about 53 miles south of Fairbanks, and the Two-Way Torture Test , which starts at at 10 a.m. May 27. The Two-Way Torture Test involves teams of two competing on a combined Chena Ridge Road-Chena Pump Road loop course. There is a twist, however. One team member goes for 13.1 miles in a clockwise direction, and the other runs for the same distance in a counterclockwise direction. The annual Equinox Marathon, which starts 8 a.m. Sept. 16, is in its 56th year. Deemed as one of America’s toughest marathons, it features an ascent of Ester Dome, more than 2,000 feet in elevation. Running Club North’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/runningclubnorth) also has information about other running events this summer. And don’t forget the biggest summer running event of them all, the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner Midnight Sun Run, a 10-kilometer event that begins at 10 p.m., June 23 at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Patty Center (see Page 49.)
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FAIRBANKS REGION
TANANA LAKES A POPULAR REC AREA MINUTES FROM TOWN
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arved out of 750 acres of junk-covered wetlands with grant money, donations and the labor of volunteers, the Tanana Lakes Recreation Area offers nature trails, a swim beach, boat launches, a rifle range, picnic area and fishing holes. It’s located about a 10-minute drive from downtown Fairbanks at the end of Cushman Street along the Tanana River, and entrance is free. The partially developed park opened in 2014 and has now become a year-round recreation area. Groomed ski trails, a skating rink, a half-mile skating loop and ice fishing are available in the winter. The recreation area is rustic in nature with gravel roads, gravel parking lots, vault toilets and limited staff on duty. Hours starting Memorial Day weekend are 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Tanana Lakes is operated by the Fairbanks North Star Borough Parks and Recreation Department after a coalition of government agencies, businesses and nonprofits teamed up to reclaim it from its former existence as a place for shooting guns, burning pallets and dumping unwanted vehicles. It has quickly become a popular recreation site with the swim beach serving as the major draw. The park offers the only public swim beach in Fairbanks. There is no lifeguard on duty but life preservers are available for loan. The beach boasts 4 1/2 acres of sand where people can bake under the endless summer sun before cooling off in the larger of two lakes, Cushman Lake, which is dotted with islands. The beach has two volleyball courts. A nearby paddle boat launch is available with parking. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game stocks the lake regularly with pike, chinook salmon, and trout. Segments of a walking trail circle the lake, which will eventually have a developed path around its periphery.
“You can pretty much walk around the whole lake,” said Reb Adkins, park ranger. “Some of it might be on the road.” The picnic area, which is near the swim beach, has a pavilion for rent, picnic tables, grills and a restroom. The cost to rent the picnic shelter is $30 for four hours and $50 for more than four hours. Reservations can be made by calling 459-1070. Other areas of the park can be reserved for special events and groups for $20 for up to four hours and $40 beyond four hours. Motor boats and personal watercraft are allowed on a second lake, which has a floating dock and two concrete launch ramps. The motorized boat lake connects to the Tanana River. A public restroom is available at the motorized boat launch. The park also attracts dog walkers, but dogs must be kept on a leash and are not allowed on the swim beach. Playground equipment is being installed this summer across from the swim beach area in conjunction with a fouryear park development project being sponsored by a local Rotary club. A triathlon, involving kayaking, running and biking, is being planned for July. A Tanana Lakes fishing derby is also being planned, with the date to be announced.
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GRAB A PADDLE AND EXPLORE THE INTERIOR By Sam Friedman sfriedman@newsminer.com
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loating the Chena River is a good way to see the Golden Heart City from a different angle. The Chena River flows east to west, slowly passing under downtown bridges and by Pioneer Park and residential areas before spilling into the larger, silty Tanana River south of town. Boaters can get on the river or stop to take a break at several parks and riverfront bars along the route. For visitors who don’t have boats or transportation, there are two businesses that rent boats: stand-up paddleboard business Trax Outdoor Center and boat rental business CanoeAlaska. Although the Chena River is a fun watercourse to float, it comes with hazards. In Fairbanks, the river is a relatively slow Class 1 river, but the water is far colder than most Lower 48 rivers and can quickly cause overboard boaters to lose dexterity and muscle control. Several people have drowned in the Chena River in recent years. By law, boaters
are required to have a personal flotation device for every person on board. Minors are required to wear the flotation device at all times, but it’s a good idea for everyone to wear them. Alaska State Troopers patrol the Chena River for safety violations. Intoxicated boaters, including canoers and kayakers, can be arrested and prosecuted under the state’s law against driving under the influence.
Trax Outdoor Center
Trax is a paddleboard and cross-country ski business at 314 Birch Hill Road, off the Steese Highway. The phone number is 374-9600 Paddleboard rentals are $45 for up to three hours or $95 for overnights and $150 for weekends. The business can deliver paddleboards around the Fairbanks area for $20 or at no cost if you rent three or more paddleboards. Trax also offers water ski lessons and longboard lessons.
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CanoeAlaska is a Pioneer Park business on the Chena River that provides a boat rental and shuttle service. The business is located at the Chena River dock on Peger Road and can also be accessed by walking through Pioneer Park. CanoeAlaska can also be reached at 347-3602 or online at canoealaska.com. CanoeAlaska can shuttle boats for several self-guided tours. The most popular float is a one- to two-hour trip through residential neighborhoods and a campground between the Pioneer Park dock on Peger Road and The Pump House restaurant. This float costs $60 for a single kayak or $80 for a tandem kayak. For the more adventurous, the company offers an approximately five-hour self-guided trip that starts at Nordale Road in the North Pole area and meanders through a rural area, Fort Wainwright and downtown Fairbanks before ending at Pioneer Park. This float costs $130 for tandem kayaks and $100 for singles. A third option starts downtown at Barnette Street and finishes at Pioneer Park. From Pioneer Park, customers trade their kayaks or canoes for rental bicycles and pedal back to downtown. The bike/ boat combo is $35.
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GOLF A ROUND OR TWO UNDER THE MIDNIGHT SUN By Brad Joyal bjoyal@newsminer.com
If you’re looking to play a round of golf during your visit to the Interior, you have four options, all of them with challenges — including wildlife on the fairways and greens. It is recommended to call in advance to book a tee time at any of the courses as the three located in Fairbanks all have leagues that play on weekday evenings.
Chena Bend Golf Course
Fairbanks Golf Course
The oldest course in the Interior is located at the intersection of Farmers Loop and Ballaine Road near the University of Alaska Fairbanks. The nine-hole, par 36 course was built in 1946 and has three par 3s, three par 4s and three par 5s. Fairbanks Golf Course also features a lake on No. 9. The course is also home to the Double Eagle restaurant. Call 479-6555 to book a tee time.
North Star Golf Club
North Star Golf Club is the northernmost golf course in America, and it undergoes changes every year. The course sits atop permafrost, which creates new dips, swales and mounds each season. The club is located just north of Fairbanks on Golf Course Drive off the Old Steese Highway. The 18-hole, 6,342-yard, par 72 course features four par 3s, 10 par 4s and four par 5s. The scorecard also includes a checklist for the wildlife commonly seen along the course. The local rule is if a raven or fox steals your ball, a replacement ball can be dropped where the original was stolen without a penalty. Tee times can be booked by visiting northstargolf.com or calling 457-4653.
Black Diamond
Black Diamond is located at 1 Mile Otto Road, just minutes from Denali National Park in Healy. The course offers pickups and dropoffs from area hotels. Established in 1995, the nine-hole course has views of mountains in the Alaska Range. There’s a chance you will encounter wildlife or find moose hoofprints on the course. The course is also home to the Black Diamond Grill, which takes reservations. To book a tee time, call 683-4653 or visit blackdiamondtourco.com/golfing.html.
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The par 72, 18-hole course is located on Fort Wainwright. The course features several holes along the Chena River and tree-lined fairways. It’s not uncommon to see a fox or marmot while playing a round. To access the course, check in at Fort Wainwright visitor center near the front gate and have your vehicle registration and insurance ready if you are driving. Chena Bend Golf Course also offers hourly rates Thursday and Sunday at the beginning of the season. To book a tee time or purchase a season pass, call 3536223.
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FISH ON! FAIRBANKS AREA RIVERS AND LAKES AWAIT dents. Discounts are available for multiday licenses. Fairbanks has numerous stores that sell fishing tackle and licenses. They can also be purchased online at adfg.alaska.gov/Store. A good place to learn about Interior fishing, and see where tens of thousands of fish are raised, is the visitor center at the Ruth Burnett Sport Fish Hatchery, at 1150 Wilbur St. The visitor center has a large aquarium stocked with Interior Alaska fish and looks out onto the hatchery floor. It has exhibits about how the hatchery works and about fish stocking around the Interior.
Popular Interior Alaska fish
By Sam Friedman sfriedman@newsminer.com
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nterior Alaska rivers and lakes are filled with fish including salmon, trout, grayling and pike. These Interior freshwater species are good eating, can be fun to catch and seldom require much equipment to bring in. To catch grayling — the most common species in Interior Alaska — you don’t have to go far. They swim through Fairbanks on the Chena River, which is accessible in town and upstream in the Chena River State Recreation Area along Chena Hot Springs Road. Check Alaska’s fishing regulations before heading out. The Chena River is a catch-and-release fishery for grayling. However, several ponds and lakes are stocked with grayling, rainbow trout and other fish that anglers can take home for dinner. Complete fishing regulations can be found online at 1.usa.gov/1Dntb6s. Fishing licenses cost $25 per day for non-Alaska resi-
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Salmon: Salmon can be found on some Interior rivers as they make their way to their spawning grounds. Alaska is home to five species: king (also known Chinook), silver (coho) red (sockeye), pink (humpback or “humpy”), and chum (dog). All five species live their adult lives in the ocean and return to fresh water to spawn. By the time they’ve reached the Interior they’ve already swum hundreds of miles upriver, a trip they make without eating and while their bodies begin to decay. They can be caught here, but salmon are fresher closer to the ocean. Arctic grayling: This trout relative usually grows between 8 and 18 inches in the Interior, but is known for its voracious appetite and a disproportionate fight for its size. Fly fishermen prize grayling for their willingness to respond to a dry fly. The fish is easily distinguished by the large fanlike dorsal fin along its back. Arctic char: These salmon-shaped fish can grow to more than 3 feet. They generally have light spots on a dark background, but their markings can range widely based on season and habitat. Northern pike: Pike are long, aggressive fish with a fearsome row of sharp teeth. Pike of about 20 pounds are common. The record northern pike is 38 pounds. They’re found in large Interior Alaska rivers such as the Tanana south of Fairbanks and in some lakes. They’re considered invasive in lakes south of the Alaska Range, where they’ve been illegally introduced. Burbot: Ugly but tasty, burbot are a blotchy-colored eel-like fish in the cod family. They average 3 to 5 pounds but can grow to more than 10 pounds. They’re not known for fighting particularly aggressively but are valued for their meat. In the summer, burbot, like pike, are often found near the mouths of sloughs.
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GET A TASTE OF ALASKA’S STATE SPORT — DOG MUSHING By Terrence Holmes For the News-Miner
N
o snow, no problem. Alaska’s state sport — dog mushing — is a typical winter sport. But summer visitors can learn about the historic sport at a variety of locations.
Mushing History
The Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race headquarters located at 550 First Ave. showcases the demanding 1,000-mile race that runs every February between Fairbanks and Whitehorse, Yukon. The 2019 race starts in downtown Whitehorse and finishes in downtown Fairbanks. The start and finish alternate between the two cities each year. The Quest headquarters has a display of sleds, results from the 2018 Yukon Quest, merchandise and apparel. Call 452-7954 or visit www. yukonquest.com If you are looking for more information about the Yukon Quest, the Fairbanks Community Museum, upstairs in Suite 215 of the Co-op Plaza on Second Avenue downtown, includes exhibits and displays about sled dog racing. Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. For more information, call 457-3669 or email info@fairbankshistorymuseum.com.
The company will also be offering its Husky Hiking Experience where visitors take the dogs on a off-leash nature walk, depending on the weather or trail conditions. Tours are offered by reservation from May to October. To make reservations or for more information, call 371-3647. • Frisky Pups Bed and Breakfast and Sled Dog Tours, coowned by Bill and Sandy McKee and located at 14.1 Mile Chena Hot Springs Road, offers a kennel tour and, depending on the weather, short rides. The dogs will be hooked up to a four-wheeler to take visitors on a ride lasting up to 10 minutes. Bill McKee said the tours will start early to mid August. The schedule for tours is determined by the weather. Call 750-2313 or email friskypupsbb@gmail.com for more information.
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• Mary Shields offers sled dog tours through her company, Alaskan Tails of the Trail. Shields conducts one tour a day, starting at 10 a.m. in the boreal forest near her home in Fairbanks. The tours also provide an up-close look at the sport of mushing. Reservations are required. To make a reservation or for more information, visit www.maryshields.com. • Visitors to Just Short of Magic can expect a warm welcome from happy huskies. The company is located at 16.5 Mile Chena Hot Springs Road. Company owner Eleanor Wirts offers an hourlong summer educational tour. Guests get an opportunity to gain hands-on experience with the dogs, accompanied by a broad range of sled dog information. Visitors will have a chance to meet the dogs, handle mushing equipment, prepare a sled dog’s meal and help feed them. Just Short of Magic does not offer rides during the heat of the summer. Reservations are required. For more information, visit www.justshortofmagic.com. • Black Spruce Dog Sledding conducts tours through forests and scenic areas north of Fairbanks. Instead of a sled, dogs pull a five-seater buggy on cool days. There’s also hands-on experience for the visitors such as harnessing the dogs and giving them water.
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DENALI NATIONAL PARK A SUBARCTIC OASIS By Kris Capps kcapps@newsminer.com
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hen an Alaskan says “The mountain is out” there is no doubt which mountain is filling the horizon. It is the tallest mountain in North America —Denali— a magnificent sight when it emerges from the cover of clouds. The mountain is not the reason Denali National Park and Preserve was created, though. In 1917, the park was formed to protect the wildlife. Eventually expanded to 6 million acres, the park is home to moose, caribou, Dall sheep, wolves and grizzly bears. More than 650 species of flowering plants eke out a living in the park, along with a variety of mosses and lichens. Only plants adapted to long, cold winters and short growing seasons can survive in Denali’s subarctic climate. In addition, Denali is home to 39 species of mammals, 167 species of birds, 10 species of fish and one amphibian, the wood frog. There are no reptiles in Denali National Park. Dinosaur tracks, discovered in 2005, revealed for the first time that prehistoric creatures also lived there. Get to the park by train, bus, car or even charter a small airplane. The Denali Park Road is a narrow, primarily gravel road that winds through the mountains and across rivers. It conRafting at Denali National Park
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tinues for about 92 miles to the old mining community of Kantishna, now a visitors’ haven. Private vehicles are not permitted, though anyone can drive the first 15 miles to Savage River. After that, traffic is limited — except during the few days annually when winners of the Denali Road Lottery head into the park in their personal vehicles. The National Park Service allows as many as 400 permit winners per day to drive vehicles the entire length of the park road at the end of the tourist season, in mid-September. See the Denali National Park website for information on how to apply for this lottery. In 2018, Road Lottery weekend is Sept. 14, 16, 17 and 18, with Military Appreciation Day on Sept. 15. The nonrefundable application fee for the road lottery is $15. Apply online at www.recreation.gov from May 1-31. Winners must also pay a $25 permit fee to drive the park road. Limiting traffic on the park road is deliberate. This park is managed for the wildlife, not the people. Enjoying and appreciating the wilderness of Denali National Park is easy. The Denali Visitor Center is the central location to pick up a trail map, acquire a backcountry permit, and to check schedules of guided walks and other programs. There are trails in the entrance area that are free for hiking anytime. They range in difficulty from easy to challenging. The park also offers hiking, bicycling and backcountry camping. Experienced park rangers lead special hikes, as well. Photography is encouraged in the park, but take care when photographing wildlife. There are guidelines on how close you should approach bears, eagles, caribou and other animals. There also are guidelines for hiking to help preserve fragile tundra plants that cling to life during the short season. Take special measures to enjoy wildlife from afar and to avoid chance encounters with bears. For a close-up view of how the park operates, visit the Denali Kennels, where a team of sled dogs lives year-round. During the summer, these working dogs welcome visitors, and their handlers provide an informative program. The dogs patrol the Denali wilderness during winter months.
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TAKE A SHUTTLE OR TOUR BUS TO GET DEEP INTO THE PARK By Kris Capps kcapps@newsminer.com
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he 92-mile road into Denali National Park and Preserve runs from the Parks Highway to the former mining community of Kantishna. The first 15 miles are paved and open to the public. Past that point, at the Savage River checkpoint, vehicle travel is restricted on the narrow, winding gravel surface. Buses shuttle visitors in and out of the park and drop off hikers and campers. Bus trips range from two to 12 hours, and visitors can take either a tour bus or a shuttle bus, or an all-day tour to/from Kantishna. Shuttle buses are less expensive and have fewer amenities, but travel farther into the park. Visitors can get off when they want to hike for awhile, then get back on another bus, if seats are available. Visitors planning to hike, bike, camp, backpack or picnic in the park should take a shuttle bus. The shuttle is available for folks who just want to enjoy the scenery and wildlife viewing. Be sure and bring along food and water. There are no convenience stores along the way. Those who prefer a more deluxe trip can opt for one of the tours. A variety of tour lengths, prices and options are available. Fees vary and are in addition to the park entrance fee. Reservations for shuttles and tour buses can be made by calling (800) 622-7275 or going online to www.reservedenali.com. You can also reserve a spot in person at the Denali Bus Depot reservation desk, up to two days in advance. Check the website at www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit for schedules and details.
What: Denali National Park and Preserve When: Park bus service begins May 20 each year
(and runs through the second week after Labor Day. However, the entire road is not accessible by bus until June 8. Where: The park entrance is about 120 miles south of Fairbanks on the Parks Highway. Cost: $10 per person. No fee for children age 15 and younger. This provides a seven-day entrance permit. Denali annual pass: $40. Annual military pass is free. More info: www.nps.gov/dena
Courtesy buses
Free courtesy buses take visitors around the entrance area of Denali National Park, connecting with hotels and restaurants just outside the park. Catch those buses at the Denali Visitor Center, Denali Bus Depot, Riley Creek Campground, Denali Park Post Office, Riley Creek Mercantile, Railroad Depot and trailheads that include Mountain Vista Loop and Savage River Loop. A free bus takes visitors to the Denali Sled Dog Kennels for each 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. demonstration. Board the bus at the Denali Visitor Center bus stop only 40 minutes before the demonstration is due to begin. Return 90 minutes later. Many businesses provide buses for people on their individual tours.
Options inside park
Shuttle or Transit Bus: This is the more flexible and more economical option. You can get on and off at any time - except for wildlife restricted areas and seat availability. Narration is not included, but experienced drivers often provide it anyway. Choices range from 6 to 12 hour trips. Tundra Wilderness Tour: This 7-8 hour narrated tour goes to Mile 53 Toklat from May 20-31 and then to Mile 62 from June 1 to mid-September. Box lunch and hot beverage provided. Most departures are early morning or early afternoon. Natural History Tour: 4 1/2 to 5 hour tour focuses on the natural and cultural history of the park and goes to the Teklanika River, Mile 27. Snack and beverage provided. Tour includes a stop at the Savage Cabin, an original ranger’s cabin, and an Alaskan Native presentation at Primrose Ridge. Kantishna Experience: One-day, 12-hour round-trip to Kantishna that includes full lunch. A National Park Service interpretive ranger provides narration. Time is spent in Kantishna learning about its history. Two daily departures, 6:30 a.m. and 7:30 a.m.
Backpacking
Visitors headed to the backcountry for overnight stays should take the special camper bus, to accommodate their gear. These visitors require special backcountry permits that are obtained at the Denali Visitor Center. Buses leave from the Denali Bus Depot.
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EXPLORE DENALI NATIONAL PARK VIA AIR OR LAND By Kris Capps kcapps@newsminer.com
pilot. See www.katair.com/flightseeing
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ENALI NATIONAL PARK—One of the best ways to absorb the grandeur of Denali National Park and to appreciate its vastness is to see it from the air. A number of flightseeing companies provide that service. Contact them individually for details of their tours.
Denali Air
Stampede Aviation
Experienced Bush pilots/guides provide an close-up look at Denali, formerly Mount McKinley, and surrounding wilderness landscape. Ninety-minute tours return along the Stampede Trail, with a fly-over of the bus made famous by the book/movie “Into The Wild.” See www.stampedeaviation.com.
Temsco Air
Operating in the Denali area since 1970, Denali Air departs from a private airstrip just south of the park entrance. The air tour in 6- or 8-passenger twin-engine planes is narrated and every seat is a window seat. See www.denaliair.com.
Flightseeing by helicopter is the option with this company. The tour includes about 35 minutes of flight time through the eastern wilds of Denali National Park. Keep an eye out for wildlife and for The Mountain in the distance. See www.temscoair.com.
Denali Summit Flights
Two longtime Alaska businesses partner to make this tour of Denali happen. They are Northern Alaska Tour Company and Warbelows Air. Pilot/guides provide first-hand knowledge and history of what you see from your window seat. See www.denalisummitflight.com.
Fly Denali
ON THE GROUND
If you prefer to stay grounded, try these tours. You can act as your own driver and get up close to wilderness near to Denali National Park.
Denali ATV Adventures
This longtime Denali aviation business will provide flightseeing and landing on a glacier inside Denali National Park. The trip happens in a deHavilland Turbo Beaver that seats up to eight passengers, each with a window seat. The pilot is also the tour guide, who narrates throughout the tour. See www.flydenali.com.
Get out and ride! That is what this company encourages its guests to do. Four different all-terrain vehicle tours are offered, including two specialty tours. One of those happens late at night, when the midnight sun is still shining. See www.denaliatv.com.
Kantishna Air Taxi
These special tours through Black Diamond Resort offer a unique way to see the backcountry adjacent to Denali National Park. One tour even includes backcountry dining. See www.blackdiamondtourco.com.
This longtime local company is based in Kantishna, close to The Mountain. Pilots/guides provide up-close views of Denali, streaming glaciers and the spectacular landscape of Denali National Park. Choose a flight tour that suits your schedule and climb aboard a Cessna 206, which seats five passengers and one
Denali Highway Jeep Excursions
If you seek a little more comfort in an on-the-ground tour, this may be the tour for you. It’s a drive-your-own Jeep tour in a caravan down the Denali Highway, which boasts some of the most spectacular views of any road in the state. The tour travels more than 100 miles in about four hours. The Denali Highway is located about 30 miles south of the entrance to Denali National Park. See www. denalijeep.com.
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This off-road safari travels along the Stampede Trail, a road carved out by early miners. There’s lots of bumps, mud and off-road adventure. Your guide shares history of the area along the way. See www.DenaliBackcountrySafari. com.
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DENALI HIGHWAY: 135 MILES OF RUGGED WONDER
Staff report newsroom@newsminer.com
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he Denali Highway offers one of the most scenic drives in Alaska, with frequent reminders of the region’s glacial past. More and more visitors discover it every year, even though most car rental agencies prohibit driving rental vehicles on this mostly gravel 135-mile road. It runs between Cantwell on the Parks Highway and Paxson on the Richardson Highway. Cantwell is 27 miles south of the entrance to Denali National Park. The road cuts through the Alaska Range, and majestic mountains and vast tundra line both sides of the highway. Even when clouds move in, the views are spectacular. Constructed in 1950, for many years, the Denali Highway provided the only access to Denali National Park before construction of the Parks Highway. Now a variety of lodges help tourists enjoy the natural beauty of this remote wilderness. Although it is called the Denali Highway, this land is not under the authority of the National Park Service. It is overseen by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, so it’s open to almost any recreational activity. That’s why you’ll see many people enjoying the area on all-terrain vehicles, on bicycles or hiking. It’s a popular hunting area and berrypicking area in the fall. Most of the highway passes through alpine terrain. You have a good chance of spotting caribou, moose and bear. Parts of the road sit atop eskers, ancient streams that wound through the glaciers. Kettle ponds, formed by melting ice chunks, offer nesting areas for swans and other waterfowl. Maclaren Pass is the highest point on the drive, at 4,086 feet. On a clear day, you can see the Maclaren Glacier. Tangle Lakes is close to Paxson and offers canoeing, hik-
ing and extraordinary bird watching. It is also an archeological site. Alaska Native people have lived in this area for more than 10,000 years. Archaeologists continually find traces of their prehistoric life. Just driving the road can be an adventure, depending on the condition of the road and its potholes. Be sure to bring along a spare tire. Maybe two. The BLM maintains campgrounds at Brushkana Creek and at Tangle Lakes, but you can pull over anywhere along the road and camp. A few small roadhouses offer lodging, including the Tangle River Inn, Maclaren River Lodge and Alpine Creek Lodge. See www.tangleriverinn.com, www.maclarenlodge. com and www.alpinecreeklodge.com. On the east end of the highway, the closest gas station is Meiers Lake Roadhouse, 16 miles south of Paxson on the Richardson Highway. The roadhouse offers cabins, a restaurant, bar, and convenience store. You can find them on Facebook.
Cantwell
The small, tight-knit community of Cantwell sits in a picturesque spot at the junction of the Parks Highway and the Denali Highway. Turn 360 degrees and see towering mountains of the Alaska Range in every direction. The town, primarily an Athabascan Indian village, is named after Jim Cantwell, a worker on the Alaska Railroad. Cantwell was once a railway flag stop. Oley Nicklie sought work with the railroad after fur prices dropped. He and his two brothers founded the settlement. This is where the popular 2007 film “Into The Wild” was filmed. Today it is a haven for snowmachiners in the winter and photographers in the summer. There are outdoor opportunities in every direction — hiking, rafting, camping.
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AURORA BOREALIS BRINGS WONDER TO NORTHERN NIGHTS
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he aurora borealis, commonly known as the northern lights, are a splendid sight, with their green, red and purple hues. The lights can be seen in Fairbanks and Interior Alaska for about eight months a year, from midAugust to mid-April. There are several aurora shows and displays at museums throughout the Fairbanks area where you can see and learn about the aurora borealis, including a slideshow of hundreds of images taken by the late Warren Gammel at the Fairbanks Community Museum; the “Aurora Experience” at the Fairbanks Ice Museum; and “The Dynamic Aurora” at the University of Alaska Museum of the North. Here are some answers to some common questions about the northern lights.
Q: What is the aurora?
A: The glow in the sky, known as the aurora borealis, is the result of energetic particles entering the upper atmosphere. The specific glow is different from other forms of brightness in the sky, such as scattered sunlight or light-
ning. Magnetism within the Earth’s atmosphere guide the energetic particles, most often electrons, along field lines to the high-latitude atmosphere. As the energetic particles penetrate the upper atmosphere, the chance of colliding with an atom or molecule increases the deeper they go. When a collision occurs, the atom or molecule takes some of the energy of the energetic particle and stores it as internal energy while the electron continues on its path at a reduced speed. The release of that stored energy by an atom or molecule, achieved by sending off a photon, produces light.
Q: What makes the color in the aurora?
A: The composition and density of the atmosphere and the altitude of the aurora determine the possible light emissions. The atmosphere is made up of varying levels of oxygen and nitrogen. Sometimes the photons emitted by the energetic electrons, creating aurora energy, are strong enough to split the molecules of the air around them into
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oxygen and nitrogen molecules and atoms. This process gives them the signature colors of nitrogen and oxyge storms. Oxygen atoms typically emit green and red colors. The overall impression is a greenish-whitish glow. An intense aurora can get a purple edge at the bottom, which is a mixture of blue and red emissions from nitrogen molecules.
Q: What is the altitude of the aurora?
A: The bottom edge is typically at 60 miles altitude, but it extends over a large altitude range. An intense aurora from high-energy electrons can be as low as 50 miles. The top of the visible aurora fades about 120-200 miles, but sometimes high-altitude aurora can be seen as high as 350 miles.
If you are here then, hope for clear skies and head outside for a look.
Q: How often does the aurora appear?
Q. Can you hear the aurora?
A: There is always some aurora at some place on Earth. You just can’t always see it. When the solar wind is calm, the aurora might be too high and faint to see. To see the aurora, the sky must be dark and clear, which is why it’s not visible in the Interior until August.
Some people say they can hear the aurora and folktales have suggested that the aurora can create faint noises such as static, clapping noises or crackling. Recently, scientists have actually recorded clapping sounds during an aurora display.
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GOLD RUSH HISTORY VISIBLE ALONG STEESE HIGHWAY For the News-Miner
A
trip north up the Steese Highway from Fairbanks takes you through some of Alaska’s richest gold country as you make the 155-mile drive to Circle City, located on the mighty Yukon River. In addition to traveling through historic gold rush communities, part of the Steese is near the trail of the Yukon Quest International Sled Dog race, a 1,000-mile trek between Fairbanks and Whitehorse, Yukon. Heading north from Fairbanks, the highway starts by skirting the eastern edge of Fairbanks, making a right at the intersection with the Elliott Highway. The first notable stop comes in Fox, 10 miles north of Fairbanks. Fox began as a mining camp in 1905, but has since become a destination for restaurants and nightlife for those willing to make the short drive. The Turtle Club restaurant is well known for its heaping plates of prime rib and seafood. Silver Gulch Brewing and Bottling Co. is the northernmost brewery in the United States.
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From May to October, the Howling Dog Saloon features live music in a colorful atmosphere. That’s not all there is at the Howling Dog. There’s a sand volleyball court and horseshoes. There’s a café serving cheesesteaks, burgers and daily specials. If you need a place to stay after a night at the saloon, cabins are available. Road trip supplies and gas are available at the Fox General Store. From Fox, the Steese takes a sharp turn to the east, running through tailing piles and equipment from giant dredges that worked the valley in the mid-1900s. At 16 Mile, visitors can stop at the Felix Pedro Monument, the site where the Italian miner discovered gold in 1902, starting the stampede to Fairbanks. A public gold panning area is located just across the highway from the monument. Gold mining is still alive and well in the area; please respect private property. The Steese also offers road access to the White Mountains National Recreation Area, where you can pan for gold at Nome Creek at 57 Mile. You also can hike, fish and camp in the White Mountains. Much of the area was burned by a wildfire in 2004. Hillsides are strewn with charred trees but become filled with color when the fireweed blooms in mid-July. After descending from Cleary Summit, the Steese Highway winds through the scenic Chatanika River Valley. The town of Chatanika, created by mining activity, was once 10,000 people strong. Chatanika Gold Camp is the site of the old Fairbanks Exploration Co. Camp, built between 1923 and 1925 as the bunkhouse and dining hall for men who worked on Chatanika’s Gold Dredge No. 3. The camp is on the National Register of Historic Places. At 28.5 Mile is a rustic lodge, across the road from what is left of Gold Dredge No. 3, which burned in 2013. The Chatanika Lodge was established in the 1930s as a trading post. The lodge’s Alaska decor showcases its hearty fare,
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WHITE MOUNTAINS REC AREA SHOWS OFF RUGGED COUNTRY NORTH OF FAIRBANKS By Sam Friedman sfriedman@newsminer.com
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he 1 million-acre White Mountains National Recreation Area is a popular spot north of Fairbanks for hikers, berry pickers, fishermen, four-wheelers, boaters and recreational gold miners. All the roads leading out of Fairbanks are lonely, but the Steese and Elliott highways that are used to access the White Mountains are especially quiet. This area is a paradise for people who want to get away from it all. The mountains that give the recreation area its name are merely hills compared to the Alaska Range to the south and the Brooks Range to the north but make up some of the rockiest country in Interior Alaska. The summits offer sweeping views of Interior Alaska, and wildlife sightings are common. As with much of the terrain around Fairbanks, the valley bottoms in the White Mountains are squishy in the summer, so stick to the higher ridge country for better travel. The area truly shines when the ground freezes in the winter and it’s easier to get around on 220 miles of groomed trails for skiers, dog mushers and snowmachiners. The recreation area boasts a network of 12 public use cabins accessible in the winter. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management maintains 40 miles of trails in the summer and three campgroundsa. The Beaver Creek National Wild and Scenic River is a popular summer float for experienced outdoors enthusiasts.
Access points
• Nome Creek Area: This access point is northeast of
with a full kitchen serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. Stop at Long Creek Trading Post at 45 Mile for an espresso or ice cream. A 2.5-mile loop offers access to the Davidson Ditch. The ditch is an 83-mile series of ditches, siphons and pipes once used to carry water from a small dam on the Chatanika River. It was one of the largest engineering projects in the world when it was built in 1925. The road then climbs well above the tree line at TwelveMile and Eagle summits, two popular places to watch the sun skirt the northern horizon on the summer solstice. After coasting down Eagle Summit to the small community of Central, about 128 miles north of Fairbanks, travelers enter the Circle Mining District.
Fairbanks, about 7 miles down the gravel U.S. Creek Road, which begins at 57.1 Mile Steese Highway. There are a few carcamping sites in this area, as well a section of the creek designated for recreational gold mining. The Quartz Creek Trail is a popular 16-mile ATV loop in this area. Mount Prindle is a popular nearby hike. • Wickersham Dome: This access point is north of Fairbanks at 28 Mile Elliott Highway. It is the main access point for winter trail users. In the summer the trailhead is used by hikers headed to the summit of Wickersham Dome (a 6.5mile round-trip hike) and the summit trail beyond. A different trail from this trailhead leads 6 miles to Lee’s Cabin, one of the few public use cabins that’s easily accessible in the summer. Staying in Lee’s Cabin requires a reservation with the Bureau of Land Management, which can be made at recreation.gov. The area is popular among berry pickers in late July and August. Phone: Call the Fairbanks Bureau of Land Management office at 474-2200 for information about trail and river conditions or for help using the reservation website. Online: blm.gov/visit/white-mountains or go to recreation.gov to reserve public use cabins.
Central has a post office and a wonderful museum featuring the history of the Gold Rush and early 1900s. From Central, Circle City is 34 miles to the banks of the Yukon River. The river is 2 miles wide at Circle. Circle, founded in 1893, was the largest city on the Yukon until gold was discovered in Dawson City, Yukon, in 1898. It served as the hub community for mines in the Circle Mining District. At its peak, more than 1,000 people lived in Circle, which was named in the belief that it was located on the Arctic Circle, which actually is about 40 miles to the north. Today, the town has only a handful of residents. Gasoline and groceries are available.
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PLENTY TO SEE AND DO ALONG THE PARKS HIGHWAY By Kris Capps kcapps@newsminer.com
I
t takes a little more than two hours to drive the 123 miles to Denali National Park and Preserve from Fairbanks. If you take your time, you might discover some treasures along the way. Right outside Fairbanks is the little town of Ester. This former mining community, sometimes referred to as “The Republic of Ester,” is a reminder of days gone by. Now it is home to artists, teachers and lots of folks who don’t want to be lumped in with Fairbanks. The center of town? The Golden Eagle Saloon, popular with both visitors and locals. The Ester Community Association now sponsors the Ester Community Market every Thursday. Here, artists, farmers, musicians and other vendors sell their wares. The market opens in June and runs through September from 4:30-7:30 p.m. in Ester Community Park. Continuing south, vast views of the Tanana Valley and Alaska Range are visible at every turn. On a clear day, you can see Mount Denali in the distance, towering over all the other mountains. The next “big” community you’ll run into is Nenana. Just before you reach town, you’ll see the Monderosa Bar and Grill, home to what the owner calls “The Best Burger in Alaska.” The entrance to the community is grand: A towering silver bridge ushers drivers over the confluence of the Tanana and Nenana Rivers. Nenana is home of the Nenana Ice Classic, a lottery that lets people guess the exact moment a black-and-white tripod will fall when the ice goes out on the Tanana River at the end of winter. It began in 1917 when bored railroad workers tried to guess when the ice would break free and float downstream.
Many an Alaska resident has spent hours poring over statistics of ice thickness, hoping to get lucky with every ticket. This also is an important staging area for barges that supply communities along the Tanana and Yukon rivers. The barges deliver fuel and other important supplies to these remote villages. It was in Nenana that President Warren Harding drove the golden spike on the Alaska Railroad in 1923. A monument depicting that spike is on display at the depot museum. That presidential rail car is now at Pioneer Park in Fairbanks. The Alfred Starr Nenana Cultural Center includes a small museum and Native crafts shop. Some local artists sell their wares here. The oldest building in town is a charming 1905 log cabin church on Front Street. Continue driving south and you’ll have the opportunity to turn right, into the small community of Anderson. It is 6 miles off the highway, so it doesn’t get a lot of visitors. Three homesteaders settled here in the late 1950s. In 1959, the town’s namesake, Art Anderson, divided his 80-acre homestead into quarter-acre lots and sold most of them to civilian workers at the adjacent Clear Air Force Station, a radar site for detecting incoming intercontinental ballistic missiles. You’ll see Clear Air Force Station while on your way to Anderson, but it’s not a site for casual or spur-of-themoment visitors. This is a military installation that houses both Alaska Air National Guard and U.S. Air Force personnel. When you get back on the Parks Highway, be sure and stop at the Clear Sky Lodge for the best prime rib sandwich in the area and some conversation with longtime local residents. Then, drive on. Soon, you’ll be in Healy, the gateway community to Denali National Park.
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TAYLOR HIGHWAY: 160 MILES OF FORTYMILE HISTORY
Staff Report newsroom@newsminer.com
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he 160-mile Taylor highway offers stunningly scenic drive through some of Alaska’s most historic mining regions. The highway is open April through October and travels from its starting point at Tetlin Junction on the Alaska Highway to its terminus at historic Eagle. The road frequently climbs above treeline and offers expansive views of Alaska and east to Canada’s Yukon. The route, which follows old mining trails established as far back as the 1880s, provides access to scenic waysides and campgrounds, the historic Fortymile Mining District and the Top of the World Highway. The Taylor has several steep grades, and services are few and far between, so travelers are advised to fill up their fuel tanks and bring adequate supplies. The highway is closed to vehicle traffic between October and April. Parts of the highway are narrow and winding with steep drops. The maximum speed on some stretches is 30 mph. Travelers should use caution.
Chicken
The Chicken Gold Camp and Outpost is a one-stop shop where travelers can camp, stock up on supplies, eat a good meal, drink a beer, buy authentic Alaska-made gifts and even get in some recreational mining. Owners Mike and Lou Busby also own Lost Chicken Hill, which is the oldest continuously mined placer mine in the state. Visitors can take a guided tour of Felix Pedro Dredge No. 4 and view the many historic associated relics. Chicken’s small wintertime population swells to about 800 during Chickenstock, a bluegrass and folk music festival that draws fans from as far away as Europe. The annual Chickenstock Music Festival takes place June 15-17, and a ticket buys you a camping spot. Information about the festival is available on Facebook. The Chicken Creek Outpost houses a cafe, saloon, espresso bar and gift store that offers gasoline and seating for 70. Cabin and room rentals are available, Kayak rentals are also available. The Chicken Gold Camp and Outpost opens in mid-May and closes in September, weather permitting.
Eagle
Eagle was first incorporated in 1901, making it the first Interior Alaska community to do so. Visitors can take a guided tour of historic Fort Egbert and other buildings and museums in the town or take part in the annual Fourth of July parade. Lodging is available atThe Falcon Inn B&B and the Riverside Hotel and Cafe. Check www.falconinnlodgelogcabins. com for information or call 907-547-2254. A three-story building houses the Eagle Trading Co. grocery store and the Riverside Hotel and Cafe. The hotel offers 11 rooms, three of them handicapped accessible. Gasoline, diesel fuel, propane and a coin-operated laundry facility are located across the street. Hunting licenses and an ATM are also available. For more information, go to www.riversidehoteleaglealaska.com or call 907-547-2220. For those who prefer to get back to nature, the Bureau of Land Management Eagle Campground has 18 campsites. A fee is required. BLM also operates the West Fork campground at mile 49 of the Taylor, and the Walter Fork campground at mile 82.
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DALTON, ELLIOTT HIGHWAYS OFFER RUGGED, REMOTE TRIPS Staff Report newsroom@newsminer.com
They’re both long, remote, mostly unpaved roads, so planning ahead is important. Fill up on gas. Bring one or more spare tires. Watch out for big trucks. A good resource on this and other Alaska road trips is “The Milepost,” a mile-by-mile guide to Alaska’s highways updated every year and available at most Alaska convenience stores and grocery stores. If driving a rental car, check with the company before heading out. Many require customers sign agreements not to drive on gravel roads.
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isitors to Alaska often like to get off the beaten path, and there are few roads that provide that opportunity better than the Dalton and Elliott highways. The Dalton Highway, which was built to support the trans-Alaska oil pipeline, is one of the farthest-north roads in North America. Commonly called the “haul road,” it takes motorists past the Arctic Circle and farther north, almost to the Arctic Ocean. The Elliott Highway, which intersects the Dalton en route to Manley Hot Springs, is a good option for travelers interested in remote adventure and hot springs. Restaurant • Beaufort Sea • Midnight Sun Tundra Flowers & Birds • Polar Bear Viewing Eskimo Fall Whaling
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All the highlights of our one day excursion PLUS Overnight in rustic Coldfoot. Visit the historic community of Wiseman. Travel through the majestic Brooks Mountain Range. Overnight in the Prudhoe Bay oil field service community of Deadhorse. Visit the shore of the Arctic Ocean. Optional Barrow extension tour also available.
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Elliott Highway
The Elliott Highway moves through rolling hills covered in birch trees as it begins in the community of Fox, where the highway splits from the Steese Highway. The last stop for gas for 100 miles is the Hilltop Truck Stop, a diner known for its pies and appearances on the reality show “Ice Road Truckers.” At 84 Mile, the northbound Dalton Highway begins as the Elliott jogs west to the community of Manley Hot Springs. A junction at 109 Mile Elliott Highway leads south to the Athabascan village of Minto. The small community of Manley Hot Springs offers a rustic and low-key experience for visitors. Four tubs are located in a greenhouse, and visitors can take a soak in the hot springs for a small fee surrounded by foliage such as grapes and flowers. Use of the greenhouse is restricted to one party at a time, so visitors are asked to call 907-6723213 in advance. The Manley Lodge (formerly Roadhouse), established in 1903, provides a cozy launching point for an Alaska adventure. The inn offers meals and lodging “with a pioneer flair” For information, call 907-672-3161.
Dalton Highway
The Dalton Highway crosses the Yukon River and climbs the continent’s northernmost mountain range, the Brooks Range, before ending at a security fence just short of the Arctic Ocean. There are few populated places along the way. Here are a few landmarks: • Yukon River Bridge: 56 Mile (from Elliott Highway junction). The only vehicle crossing in Alaska across the state’s largest river. Fuel, food and lodging are available at Yukon River Camp in the summer. • Arctic Circle sign: 115 Mile. The sun does not rise on the winter solstice nor set on the summer solstice north of the Arctic Circle. • Coldfoot: 175 Mile. A former pipeline construction camp. Amenities include gas, food, lodging and the Arctic Interagency Visitor Center (open only in the summer), the visitor center for Arctic federal lands, including Gates of the
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Arctic National Park. • Wiseman: 189 Mile. Turnoff for Wiseman, a historic mining community three miles off the highway. • Atigun Pass: 244 Mile. At 4,800 feet, this Brooks Range pass is the highest highway pass in Alaska. • Deadhorse: 414 Mile. There is fuel and lodging at the community of Prudhoe Bay oilfield workers. Security fences block access to the Arctic Ocean, but Deadhorse Camp, which offers lodging for both oilfield workers and visitors, offers shuttles to the ocean. Shuttles leave twice per day in the summer and cost $69 per person. Lodging reservations can be made at 877-474-3565, with the shuttle available through www.deadhorsecamp.com. The Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center in
Fairbanks has specific information on the Dalton Highway and receives road condition updates from the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities.
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ALASKA, RICHARDSON HIGHWAYS OFFER ADVENTURE Staff Report
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he Alaska Highway serves as the gateway to the North. The world-famous highway traverses more than 1,000 miles through Canada before reaching its terminus in Interior Alaska. Built during World War II by the military as a means of getting supplies to the strategic northern territory, the long highway was also meant to help connect the previously unconnected airfields used under the Lend-Lease Agreement to send planes and supplies over the Bering Strait into Russia to support the Eastern Front. Though the highway stretches more than 1,300 miles today, fewer than 200 of those miles run through the state for which the highway is named. The highway ends in Delta Junction, where it converges with the Richardson Highway, 198 miles from the Alaska-Canada border. The Richardson Highway winds north from Valdez, the port city on Prince William Sound where tankers dock to load oil from the trans-Alaska pipeline. The highway and the pipeline meander north from Valdez, often running alongside each other. The Richardson meets up with the Alaska Highway at Delta Junction and branches off to the northwest, toward Fairbanks, as does the pipeline. While the Richardson Highway ends in Fairbanks, the pipeline continues to the North Slope.
Delta Junction
Delta Junction stands at the junction of the Alaska and Richardson highways. It is bordered by the Tanana and Delta rivers. Delta Junction’s museums, roadhouses and festivals inform visitors of the town and the region’s rich agricultural history. • The Deltana Fair runs from July 27-29. It includes games, music, food and contests. The Deltana Fair-
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grounds are located on Nistler Road in Delta Junction. More information on the fair can be found by calling 907895-3247. • Big Delta State Historical Park is another main attraction near Delta, featuring Rika’s Roadhouse, which is operated by a private concessionaire. The park shares the history of the former owner, Rika Wallen, whose roadhouse played an interesting and significant role in Interior Alaska’s past. Rika’s Roadhouse rests on the banks of the Tanana River, where a trail once ran from Valdez in the south to the gold claims of Fairbanks in the north. Rika’s provided the trail’s travelers with a place to rest and recuperate from their journey before continuing. The Roadhouse is not always open, but the Alaska State Parks Department continues to operate the historical park site.
Donnelly Dome
Donnelly Dome rises high above the surrounding landscape just south of Delta Junction. The dome rises nearly 4,000 feet in a wide valley 15 miles south of Delta Junction, surrounded on two sides by towering peaks of the Alaska Range. The dome lies along a fault line that runs along the northern edge of the Alaska Range, which contributes to its expansive rise. The dome is a popular hike for locals and visitors alike, as it provides sweeping views of the surrounding peaks to the southeast and southwest and the Delta River. The trans-Alaska oil pipeline can be seen winding alongside the river for miles from atop Donnelly Dome. The hike can be done in half a day. Hikers should pack a jacket despite the weather, as the top of the dome is often windy. Access to the path up the dome starts at
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FAIRBANKS REGION a pullout on the Richardson Highway about 248 Mile. From there, the trail winds up to the southern side of the dome and along its spine to the top.
Black Rapids
The Lodge at Black Rapids sits across the Richardson Highway from its namesake. When the ice along the river breaks up in the spring, Black Rapids on the Delta River flow alongside the highway below the roadhouse. The rapids are so named because of the tremendous amount of glacial silt that flows down from the Alaska Range, darkening the water in the shallow riverbed. The lodge can be seen along a ridge parallel to the highway. Views from the Richardson Highway, especially at the Black Rapids Roadhouse, include the river valley to the Black Rapids Glacier in the mountains to the west, and to the east, the looming peaks of the range that form the back of the lodge’s ridge. More information can be found by calling 877-8259413 or going on line to lodgeatblackrapids.com.
Tok
Tok is the first town visitors drive through after cross-
ing the border with Canada. Tok provides accommodations for RVs and campers. The Tok visitor center provides a range of information on the region’s history and geography. Tok serves as the hub for the other villages in the eastern part of Alaska’s Interior, such as Dot Lake, Northway, Tetlin, Tanacross and Mentasta. It was built to serve as a roadwork camp during the construction of the Alaska Highway in the 1940s. Tok is surrounded by three Alaska State Parks. Eagle Trail State Recreation Site is 16 miles south of town at 109.5 Mile Tok Cutoff Highway. Eagle Trail offers hiking trails, many of which were part of the old Eagle-Valdez Trail. Moon Lake State Recreation Site is northwest of Tok near 1,332 Mile Alaska Highway. The park is a popular boating destination. Tok River State Recreation Site is 4.5 miles east of Tok near 1,309 Mile Alaska Highway and is a stopping point for visitors entering the state from Canada. The biggest celebration in Tok is its Fourth of July parade, which typically begins at 11 a.m. at Fast Eddy’s restaurant, another popular stopping point for hungry travelers.
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CAST OFF FOR BIG-TIME FISHING IN VALDEZ By Sam Friedman sfriedman@newsminer.com
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hen Fairbanksans want salty air and the giant fish that can only be found out in the ocean, they often go 366 miles south of Fairbanks to Valdez, at the end of the Richardson Highway. The waters of Prince William Sound and the the Gulf of Alaska hold some of Alaska’s tastiest and most iconic fish species. Halibut are white, buttery-tasting flatfish that can grow to more than 350 pounds in Gulf of Alaska waters near Valdez. The area is also home to five species of Pacific salmon. One of the most popular is red salmon, also known as sockeye salmon, which is known for its rich, bright red meat. The king salmon, also known as chinook salmon, can grow to more than 90 pounds. Anglers can catch salmon from shore but need boats to reach halibut habitat. Full-day halibut charters in Valdez take fishermen out to the open waters of the Gulf of Alaska and usually cost $375 to $400 per person, according to
charter booking business Fish Central. Other marine species such as lingcod and yellow-eye rockfish can be caught from Valdez-based boats. Salmon charter trips usually cost about $250 for a full day. Another option is self-guided fishing trips. Groups of up to six people can rent a covered 20-foot boat for a day for $550. Valdez hosts a series of fish derbies in the summer. They include contests for halibut and silver salmon, with special classes for female fishermen and children. Buy a derby ticket before going fishing for a chance to win cash prizes of up to $15,000 if you catch the biggest fish. Last year a Valdez woman won the halibut derby with a 374-pound fish. A Fayetteville, Georgia man won the silver salmon derby with a 15.62-pounder.
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